Lyme Disease & Anaplasmosis Lab

For more than twenty years, Dr. Pal has been studying tick-borne zoonoses, primarily Lyme disease, which is a widespread vector-borne infection and a highly-warranted area of research. The atypical bacteria responsible for the disease (Borrelia burgdorferi) are highly prevalent in the Northern Hemisphere, as are the tick vectors that transmit the disease to mammalian hosts, including humans. Despite an increase in public awareness, the incidence of Lyme disease is still on the rise, with about more than 300,000 cases estimated annually in the U.S. alone.  Lyme disease remains poorly understood and difficult to treat. The pathogenic bacteria have a very unique biology and are able to persist in a complex enzootic infection cycle. The symptoms of the disease are greatly varies in individual subjects, ranging from a mild rash or fatigue to arthritis and neurological complications, and even death due to complications of Lyme carditis. In addition, although the disease can be treated with antibiotics, it often doesn’t lead to a complete or lasting cure. In many cases, lingering or recurring symptoms develop after antibiotic treatment – a poorly understood condition known as post-treatment Lyme disease syndrome, or PTLDS.