Overview

• Standard serological tests can miss up to 60% of Lyme cases, leading to frequent misdiagnoses such as fibromyalgia or chronic fatigue syndrome
• Lyme’s symptoms range from fatigue, joint pain and headaches to neuropsychiatric issues like depression and cognitive impairment, complicating early recognition
• Specialists urge initiating antibiotics within a month of exposure and pairing them with immune-boosting strategies, tailored diets and lifestyle modifications
• High-profile figures including Avril Lavigne, Shania Twain, Justin Bieber, Bella Hadid and Hailey Bieber have publicized their battles, heightening demand for better physician training and testing
• Climate change–driven expansion of tick habitats and emerging vectors such as fleas are widening Lyme’s global reach and accelerating research into advanced diagnostics and vaccines