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Lyme disease is typically treated with a 21-day course of
antibiotics, however some patients may recover with less than
half as many treatment days, according to research.
Lyme disease is a bacterial infection that is spread from
deer ticks to humans. People with the early form of Lyme disease,
which results in a rash and flu-like symptoms, who took the
antibiotic doxycycline for 10 days were just as likely to
recover as those who took it for 20 days, according to researchers.
The study involved 180 patients who received one of three
treatments for Lyme disease. One group received 20 days of
doxycycline, another group 10 days of doxycycline, and the
final group 10 days of the antibiotic plus one intravenous
dose of another antibiotic, ceftriaxone.
After three months, 85 percent to 90 percent of all patients
had fully recovered, regardless of which treatment they received.
Further, adding an additional antibiotic to stop the spread
of the Lyme disease bacterium to the nervous system offered
no additional benefit and increased the risk of diarrhea.
Researchers noted that some patients with the disease might
still require a longer course of antibiotics, such as those
who develop other symptoms like facial nerve palsy.
If left untreated, Lyme disease can result in serious complications
including arthritis, heart problems and meningitis.
Researchers concluded that the majority of patients with
early Lyme disease would do just as well with half as many
days of treatment. They noted that shorter courses of antibiotics
are safer, less expensive, and may be less likely to promote
antibiotic-resistant bacteria that can put an entire community
at risk.
Annals
of Internal Medicine May 6, 2003;138:697-704,761-762
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