Pharmacists Reduce ER Visits in Nova Scotia
I'll file this one under "A Step in the Right Direction". One of the enduring issues surrounding Lyme disease treatment is the quicker an infection is hit with antibiotics, the better the long-term outcome BUT the accuracy of current testing during those critical first few weeks after infection is hit-and-miss. Waiting for the results of a Lyme test that could very likely throw a false negative has never struck anyone as a great plan and the need for early diagnosis has meant that many patients have been heading to the ER for clinical assessment. So Nova Scotia hit upon the idea of allowing pharmacists to assess the likelihood that someone bitten by a tick has acquired a Lyme infection and to prescribe antibiotics, as necessary. The result? Almost a 50 per cent reduction in ER visits and timely treatment of suspected Lyme cases. This report highlights the reduced burden on ERs, but timely treatment will also likely reduce the number of cases that progress to a more complex illness that further burdens the healthcare system and, more importantly, the patient. View the Global News report.

MRIs Can Aid in the Diagnosis of Lyme Arthritis in Children
This report on the diagnosis of Lyme disease in a 6-year-old by a team of doctors at Toronto's Hospital for Sick Children basically walks doctors through what signs to look for on an MRI when trying to determine if a child experiencing persistent joint pain is suffering from a Lyme infection or some other cause. Something to keep in mind here is that arthritis is not an early stage symptom of Lyme disease. This child's pain was initially misdiagnosed, leading to chronic issues that would ultimately land him at SickKids. Let's hope this report helps prevent other children from sharing that fate. Read the report in the Journal of Rheumatology.