Can Lyme Disease Cause Liver Problems?
Lyme disease is caused by a bacteria-like organism called a spirochete, which is spread through tick bites. Initial signs of Lyme disease commonly include a distinctive skin rash and flu-like symptoms such as muscle aches, fatigue, fever and headache. If the person doesn't realize he has Lyme disease and it goes untreated, the disease eventually can return with more severe symptoms of arthritis, irregular heartbeat and neuropathy.
Considerations
The medical profession does not consider Lyme disease to be a cause of liver disease. Although some people diagnosed with Lyme disease have shown elevated liver enzymes on blood tests, most of these people do not experience any liver-related symptoms or serious liver problems.
Expert Insight
Some cases of hepatitis (liver inflammation) have developed in conjunction with Lyme disease. However, according to Robert Shmerling, a medical doctor at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, it has been difficult to determine if the hepatitis was actually caused by the Lyme disease or by some other factor. Other possible causes could be a virus, gallstones or another tick-borne illness such as ehrlichiosis.
Rare Cases
A case study published in a 2001 issue of the French journal Gastroentérologie Clinique et Biologique reported two incidents of Lyme disease revealed by liver damage, one with symptoms of jaundice and one by liver function tests showing abnormalities. The authors noted that liver impairment due to Lyme disease is rare.
Additional Data
Additionally, W. Allan Walker states in his book, "Pediatric Gastrointestinal Disease," that Lyme disease can appear in children as acute hepatitis with symptoms of fever and jaundice, although rarely. He also cites a study indicating that 40 percent of adults diagnosed with Lyme disease had at least one liver test abnormality, which improved considerably or was completely resolved after antibiotic treatment.
Naturopathic View
The naturopathic viewpoint is that the liver can become overly burdened with toxins during any disease caused by pathogens. Commercial herbal/mineral supplements such as Lyme-aid are available to enhance liver function and help liver cells heal until the person recovers from Lyme disease.
Tags: Lyme disease, with Lyme, with Lyme disease, Cause Liver, Cause Liver Problems, diagnosed with, diagnosed with Lyme