A tick bite can transmit more than one pathogen. Many patients with Lyme disease also have one or more co-infections that require separate evaluation and treatment. Understanding co-infections can help you ask better questions and get more complete care.
What Are Co-Infections?
Co-infections are infections transmitted by the same tick that carries Lyme disease. A single tick can carry multiple pathogens. Co-infections may modify the clinical picture of Lyme disease, making symptoms more severe or causing symptoms not typical of Lyme alone.
Bartonella
Bartonella species are bacteria that can cause neurological symptoms, skin manifestations (especially stretch-mark-like skin lesions), psychiatric symptoms, and other complex presentations. Bartonella may be transmitted by ticks and other vectors.
Babesia
Babesia is a malaria-like parasite that infects red blood cells. Symptoms include fatigue, air hunger, sweating, and fever. Babesia requires different treatment than Lyme bacteria and is often missed in standard workups.
Ehrlichiosis and Anaplasmosis
Ehrlichiosis and Anaplasmosis are bacterial infections that can cause flu-like symptoms, fever, and low white blood cell counts. They respond to doxycycline and may occur alongside Lyme disease.
Getting Tested for Co-Infections
Standard Lyme testing panels do not test for co-infections. If you suspect or have been diagnosed with Lyme disease, ask your provider about co-infection testing appropriate to your symptom profile and geographic exposure.