Instagram story viewer> @projectlyme> Posts

Project Lyme

@projectlyme

20K

followers

4472

following

Our mission is advancing solutions for Lyme and tick-borne diseases through education, research, advocacy, and patient support.

POSTS STORIES REELS TAGGED

For one unforgettable evening, the Lyme community comes together under one roof.

This isn't just a gala — it's a celebration of resilience, scientific progress, and the people working every day to create a future where no one has to face Lyme disease alone.

Join patients, caregivers, physicians, researchers, advocates, philanthropists, and change-makers for Project Lyme's 10th Anniversary Gala — a memorable night of connection, inspiration, and impact in the heart of New York City.

Together, we'll celebrate how far we've come and help shape what comes next.

✨ Honoring Phyllis & Scott Bedford and the extraordinary impact of their LymeLight Foundation

🎙️ Hosted by Krista Williams, bestselling author and co-host of the Almost 30 podcast

📍 Gotham Hall | New York City

🗓️ September 14, 2026

Reserve your seat through the link in our bio. We can't wait to celebrate this milestone with you.

#lymediseaseawareness #tickbornediseases #10thanniversary #gala #getyourtickets by @projectlyme

48

2

4 months ago

Why do so many Lyme tests fail? Here's one key reason.

Learn more about testing for tick-borne diseases on our website: https://projectlyme.org/resource/how-do-you-test-for-it/

#lymedisease #lymediseaseawareness #lymewarriors #tickbornediseases #health #reels #reelsinstagram by @projectlyme

1k

104

4 years ago

Can you believe how small the blacklegged ticks that can transmit Lyme disease are in real life?

Shout-out to Dr. Kerry L. Clark, MPH, Ph.D., for this great video showing actual tick size.

Learn more about ticks and the dangerous diseases they carry on our website: https://projectlyme.org/your-lyme-journey/#understanding-tick-bites

#tickbornedisease #lymediseaseawareness #health #tickbite #lymewarrior #reels by @projectlyme

745

58

4 years ago

For Project Lyme Board member Isabel Rose, an afternoon spent playing in a leaf pile as a child led to decades of searching for answers. 🍂

In her Substack piece “The Nightmare in the Leaf Pile,” Isabel recalls finding a tick after playing outside at age 8. Soon afterward, she developed a high fever, stiff neck, and other symptoms that her doctor dismissed as the flu.

A growing number of mysterious symptoms followed her into adulthood. Isabel writes that she was 48 when she and her two children were finally diagnosed with Lyme disease plus Bartonella and Babesia.

Today, she leads Project Lyme’s moms’ support groups, helping other mothers find community while navigating their families’ care. 💚

For Isabel, sharing what happened is a way to help other parents understand that tick bites can happen in the fall, too.

🔗 Read Isabel’s essay on Substack (link in bio): https://beyondtherx.substack.com/p/the-nightmare-in-the-leaf-pile-393

🔗 Learn more about Isabel’s free online support groups for moms on our website (link in bio): https://projectlyme.org/event/mothers-against-lyme/

@isabelrose19 @mothers_against_lyme #lymediseaseawareness #tickbornediseases #chronicillness #patientstories #parenting by @projectlyme

38

0

12 hours ago

REMINDER: THERE IS NO SAFE MINIMUM ATTACHMENT TIME FOR TICKS!

🔬 Researchers found that infected Gulf Coast ticks transmitted R. parkeri to mouse subjects within one hour of attachment. This bacterium causes a form of spotted fever rickettsiosis, a different illness from Lyme disease, and it spread quickly to the lymph nodes and internal tissues.

The researchers studied mice, so we still don’t know how quickly this bacterium passes to people. The one-hour finding also doesn’t tell us how fast other tick-borne infections spread, but it is significant to note that potentially deadly Powassan virus, though rare, can be transmitted by a deer tick in 15 minutes.

Avoiding tick bites to the best of your ability is the ideal preventative strategy to decrease your chances of contracting tick-borne infections. If you find an attached tick, remove it promptly. Don’t assume there’s no risk just because it hasn’t been there long.

🔗 Read more in the Bioengineer.org article (link in bio): https://bioengineer.org/tick-borne-rickettsia-reaches-host-skin-within-an-hour-of-a-bite/

🔗 Get more information on how to prevent tick bites on our website (link in bio): https://projectlyme.org/resource/preventing-lyme-disease/

#lymediseaseawareness #tickbornediseases #science #rickettsia #research Rickettsia Parkeri Bacterium Reached Mouse Skin Within an Hour of a Tick Bite by @projectlyme

48

0

a day ago

🔬 Where are people likely to encounter Lyme-carrying ticks in the western U.S.? New research offers clues.

Researchers studying 7 western states identified 76 counties with potentially suitable habitats for young western blacklegged ticks, called nymphs, that seek hosts and carry Lyme disease bacteria. At least one model flagged each county, with suitable habitats concentrated mostly in central and northern California and coastal Oregon and Washington.

That doesn’t confirm infected nymphs in every flagged county or tell us how risk varies within or between counties. However, the findings do help identify where more tick surveillance is needed.

For communities looking for clearer information about local Lyme risk, that’s a useful next step. 💚

🔗 Read the study (link in bio): https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s13071-026-07730-5

#lymediseaseawareness #tickbornediseases #geography #science #research Researchers Identify Suitable Habitats for Lyme-Carrying Ticks Across the Western U.S. by @projectlyme

29

0

4 days ago

In 2020, Martha’s Vineyard Hospital reported only 2 positive alpha-gal tests. It’s now up to 572 positive alpha-gal tests through August 2026 alone—and climbing.

That jump deserves attention. That one hospital also recorded 742 positive results in 2025, showing how much the numbers have changed in just a few years.

There’s important context: the hospital is testing far more people, which accounts for some of the increase. Also, these are positive blood tests, not confirmed diagnoses. Some people with alpha-gal antibodies never develop allergic symptoms.

For those who do develop alpha-gal syndrome after certain tick bites, reactions to red meat and other mammalian products can come hours after exposure and can be life-threatening.

Are you or someone you care about living with alpha-gal syndrome? What do you wish others understood about managing it? 💚

🔗 Read the full article from Nature World News (link in bio): https://www.natureworldnews.com/articles/73469/20261007/marthas-vineyard-hospital-logged-572-positive-meat-allergy-tests-through-august-two-2020.htm

🔗 To learn more about alpha-gal syndrome, see: https://projectlyme.org/two-cme-courses-prepare-health-care-providers-to-help-patients-with-alpha-gal-syndrome/

#lymediseaseawareness #tickbornediseases #science #alphagal #allergy Sharp Rise in Positive Alpha-Gal Tests at Martha’s Vineyard Hospital by @projectlyme

15

0

4 days ago

NEW BLOG BY DR. BILL RAWLS: THE GUT MICROBIOME AND LYME RECOVERY

Were you told to take a probiotic during Lyme treatment, but left with questions about the rest of your gut health?

In our latest blog, Dr. Bill Rawls explores how the gut microbiome connects with immune function and why he believes it deserves attention throughout Lyme care. He looks beyond probiotics alone, discussing the importance of antimicrobial herbs, varied plant foods, prebiotic fiber, and the connection between stress and digestion.

When you’re dealing with ongoing symptoms, it can be hard to know what to bring up at an appointment. Your gut health deserves attention, too. 💚

What questions about gut health have gone unanswered during your treatment? Share them in the comments. 💬

🔗 For more on the relationship between the gut microbiome and Lyme disease, see the link in our bio: https://projectlyme.org/the-gut-microbiome-and-lyme-recovery-what-most-people-get-backward/

@rawlsmd @vitalplan #lymediseaseawareness #tickbornediseases #science #herbalmedicine #microbiome by @projectlyme

49

3

5 days ago

For someone living with persistent Lyme or tick-borne disease, just hearing someone say, “I believe you,” can bring relief after years of having their symptoms dismissed.

Dr. Richard Horowitz, who spent over 40 years treating 13,000 Lyme survivors before his recent retirement, appears on a new episode of the @lovehopelyme podcast to discuss what families and friends of Lyme survivors need to understand. Some of the key points include why recovery can be complicated, how deeply it can hurt to be dismissed, and what support can look like.

Still being sick doesn’t mean someone isn’t trying. And acknowledging the emotional toll of illness doesn’t make the physical symptoms any less real.

You don’t need every answer to listen, take someone seriously, and keep showing up. 💚

What has someone said or done that helped you feel supported? Let us know in the comments. 💬

🔗 And check out the complete podcast episode on @lymetimes (link in bio): https://www.lymedisease.org/lessons-13000-lyme-survivors/

@drrichardhorowitz #lymediseaseawareness #tickbornediseases #chronicillness #podcast Dr. Horowitz on Lessons From Treating 13,000 Lyme Survivors by @projectlyme

19

1

6 days ago

TICKS IN THE NEWS:

Recess looks different at one Long Island middle school after multiple students reported tick bites.

According to PEOPLE, William T. Rogers Middle School in Kings Park changed recess locations and canceled some sports practices after ticks remained on the grounds despite mowing and treatment with an organic pesticide.

Students will use indoor spaces and a blacktop area while the school works to address the problem.

For families, that means an unexpected change to the school day and understandable questions about safety. How does the school respond when a child reports a bite? When are parents notified?

Does your child’s school have a plan for tick bites? Tell us what you’d want that plan to include. 💚

🔗 Learn more in the article by @people (link in bio): https://people.com/rise-in-tick-bites-prompts-long-island-school-district-to-cancel-outdoor-recess-12161873

🔗 Project Lyme Note: One way parents can protect their child is by treating clothing (especially socks and shoes) with permethrin. For more tips on preventing Lyme and tick-borne diseases, check out our website (link in bio): https://projectlyme.org/resource/preventing-lyme-disease/

#lymediseaseawareness #tickbornediseases #parenting #education #news by @projectlyme

20

0

7 days ago

🔬 Lyme research is looking beyond POTS to the nervous system’s control of heart rate and blood pressure.

A new study compared 233 people with late-stage Lyme disease with 91 healthy participants. The Lyme group showed more dysfunction in both branches of the autonomic nervous system, which regulates automatic body functions.

Researchers also found reduced heart rate variability and impaired reflexes that help stabilize blood pressure—evidence of broader problems with cardiovascular regulation.

The study cannot establish that Lyme caused these differences. But the findings highlight the importance of comprehensive autonomic evaluation in people with late-stage Lyme.

For patients searching for answers, this is an area that deserves more attention. 💚

Read more about the science (link in bio): https://cdnsciencepub.com/doi/abs/10.1139/cjpp-2026-0066

#lymediseaseawareness #tickbornediseases #science #cardiovascular #research Beyond POTS: Broader Autonomic Dysfunction in Late-Stage Lyme by @projectlyme

177

14

8 days ago

Raking this weekend? Ticks may be out there with you. They stay active on any day that gets above about 35–40°F, sweater weather included. 🍂

Those leaf piles along the fence are part of the reason. Ticks dry out fast, so they tuck into damp, shady spots like fallen leaves, grass that's gotten a little long, and brush you haven't cleared yet.

The good news: your fall cleanup doubles as tick prevention.

🍂 Clear heavy leaf buildup and compost it rather than moving the pile (also, don't let kids jump in!).

🌱 Keep mowing while the grass is still growing.

🪵 Stack firewood somewhere dry, away from the house and play areas.

🧤 Cover up. Always check the kids, the pets, and yourself. Every time.

Save this for your next outdoor day, and tell us below: What’s your family’s fall tick routine?

Read more at @lymetimes (link in bio): https://www.lymedisease.org/think-tick-season-is-over/

And get even more great tips on preventing ticks in your yard from our website (link in bio): https://projectlyme.org/resource/preventing-ticks-in-your-yard/

#lymediseaseawareness #tickbornediseases #science #tickbite #fall by @projectlyme

31

0

10 days ago