Diagnosis and Treatment of Lyme Carditis

About The Event Lyme carditis is an infection that occurs when Lyme bacteria enter your heart tissue. The bacteria affect your heart’s electrical system or can cause inflammation (myocarditis or pericarditis). According to a study, 90% of patients with Lyme carditis develop cardiac conduction abnormalities and 60% develop signs of perimyocarditis. 5-10% of cases may also present with fulminant myocarditis, which impacts the heart’s ability to fully contract. Lyme disease is not the only infection that can cause carditis. Indeed, Mayo Clinic recognizes a broad range of viral, bacterial (including Lyme disease), and parasitic infections that can cause myocarditis. While not included in the Mayo Clinic list, tick-borne infections such as Bartonella, Babesia, Ehrlichia, Anaplasma, and Powassan Virus should also be considered as part of the differential diagnosis. Dr. Adrian Baranchuk is a cardiologist and professor based in Kingston, Ontario will join Project Lyme and ILADS to discuss cardiological manifestations of Lyme disease, specifcally Lyme carditis, and present on how he diagnoses and treats the condition.