March 13, 2024: Lyme, a disease caused by the bacteria Borrelia burgdorferi, has been reported from Koovapady in Ernakulam district of Kerala. The news has been confirmed by a doctor of a private hospital who treated the patient.

Jilse George, a Senior Physician at Lisie Hospital, informed that the disease was confirmed in a 56-year-old man. The doctor said that the patient's sample tested positive at the Bengaluru unit of the National Institute of Virology.

Dr. George said the patient was referred to Lisie Hospital with a high[1]grade fever on December 6, 2023. He also had a history of pain and swelling in the right knee for two weeks. Neck stiffness was present. A local examination revealed superficial ulcers over the scrotum, he said.

The patient was showing epileptic symptoms. Further tests confirmed that it was Lyme disease, said the doctor.

After starting treatment for Lyme disease, his health improved and he was discharged from the hospital on December 26.

The patient's blood was sent to the National Institute of Virology for testing under the direction of the district health department.

Lyme is transmitted by certain insects. This disease affects the nervous system and can lead to the death of the patient. If detected on time, the disease can be cured.