Relevance of Chronic Lyme Disease to Family Medicine as a Complex Multidimensional Chronic Disease Construct: A Systematic Review

Commentary: This review article on Chronic Lyme disease in the International Journal of Family Medicine was just released. It gives a good overview of the complexity of borrelia infections, poor sensitivity of testing, persistence, role of co-infections and the need for Family physicians to work within a multidimensional chronic disease construct to help patients suffering from CLD. The MSIDS model discussed in my book is such a multidimensional construct, and the Lyme-MSIDS questionnaire can help physicians in different sub specialities screen for Lyme as a multi systemic illness. The scientific research discussed in this article, as well as the hundreds of peer reviewed scientific references referenced in my book and in the recently published ILADS guidelines, should allow those in charge of our health care system to become better informed. Lyme disease is the most common vector-borne disease in the US and Europe, and is a rapidly spreading global health threat. We need to carefully to listen to science, bound by compassion for sick and suffering patients, in order to find logical and cost effective solutions for this emerging epidemic.

Relevance of Chronic Lyme Disease to Family Medicine as a Complex Multidimensional Chronic Disease Construct: A Systematic Review, International Journal of Family Medicine