Lyme Disease: New Thoughts and Directions

Abstract

In this month's Pediatrics Electronic Pages , 2 articles are presented that expand our knowledge base regarding Lyme disease. Although much has been written in the lay press and discussed by our patients in open forums about Lyme disease, it is refreshing to see that data in pediatrics continue to emerge that will be useful in appropriately identifying and treating patients for Lyme disease. In their article on the validation of a predictive model for diagnosing central nervous system (CNS) Lyme disease, Garro et al1 have succeeded in using the predictive model developed by Avery et al2 as it applies to their clinical cases of aseptic meningitis, in hopes of elucidating which patients were more likely to have CNS Lyme disease. Differentiating CNS infections in patients from Lyme disease–endemic areas is often difficult. … Address correspondence to Sharon Nachman, MD, HSC SUNY Stony Brook, Department of Pediatrics, Stony Brook, NY 11794-8111. E-mail: sharon.nachman{at}stonybrook.edu