Conquering Lyme Disease: Science Bridges the Great Divide

The most common tick-borne illness in the US is Lyme disease, but doctors are deeply divided on how to diagnose and treat it. This book explains that advances in precision medicine and biotechnology are reshaping our understanding of Lyme disease and accelerating the discovery of new tools to diagnose and treat it. It provides an up-to-the-minute overview of the science essential for patients and practitioners, arguing that the expanding plague of Lyme and other tick-borne diseases can be confronted successfully and may soon even be reversed.

Format: Hardback
Length: 456 pages
Publication date: 12 December 2017
Publisher: Columbia University Press

Lyme disease, the most prevalent tick-borne illness in the United States, poses significant challenges for diagnosis and treatment. With over 300,000 cases diagnosed annually, doctors remain divided on appropriate methods, leading to the controversy known as the Lyme Wars. This conflict pits physicians, patient communities, and insurance companies against each other, as they struggle to define the disease and address its complex clinical manifestations. Health-care providers may lack awareness of Lyme's diverse presentations and the limitations of diagnostic tests. Meanwhile, patients face a confusing landscape, with conflicting opinions and dubious self-help information available online. In this comprehensive book, authored by physicians from Columbia University Medical Center, Brian Fallon and Jennifer Sotsky offer a ray of hope. The past decade has witnessed remarkable advancements in precision medicine and biotechnology, reshaping our understanding of Lyme disease and expediting the development of new diagnostic and treatment tools. This great divide between medical communities is gradually being bridged. Drawing on extensive clinical experience and cutting-edge research, Fallon, Sotsky, and their colleagues present paradigm-shifting breakthroughs. They elucidate the immunologic, infectious, and neurologic underpinnings of chronic symptoms, their cognitive and psychological impact, as well as current and emerging diagnostic tests, treatments, and prevention strategies. Written for the educated individual seeking deeper knowledge, Conquering Lyme Disease provides an up-to-date overview of the science essential for patients and practitioners alike. It compellingly argues that the growing prevalence of Lyme disease demands a comprehensive and collaborative approach, ensuring proper diagnosis, effective treatment, and public awareness to combat this debilitating illness.

Weight: 1094g
Dimension: 236 x 163 x 30 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780231183840