ILADS Publishes Evidence-Based Definition of Chronic Lyme Disease

The International Lyme and Associated Diseases Society (ILADS), a nonprofit, international, multidisciplinary medical organization, has provided an evidence-based definition of Chronic Lyme Disease (CLD) published in the journal Antibiotics as a concept paper. ILADS has defined CLD as “a multisystem illness with a wide range of symptoms and/or signs that are either continuously or intermittently present for a minimum of six months.” ILADS specifies that the “illness is the result of an active and ongoing infection by any of several pathogenic members of the Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato (Bbsl) complex” and has variable latency periods. 

ILADS has designated CLD into two subcategories, untreated and previously treated, specifying the latter “requires that CLD manifestations persist or recur following treatment and are present continuously or in a relapsing/remitting pattern for a duration of six months or more.”

ILADS  reviewed 250+ peer reviewed papers in international literature and concluded that, “This evidence‐based definition of chronic Lyme disease clarifies the term’s meaning and the literature review validates that chronic and ongoing Bbsl infections can result in chronic disease.” It is anticipated that use of this clearly specified CLD definition will promote an improved understanding of Bbsl infections as well as accelerate furthered research of CLD.

Click Here to access the peer reviewed article on the MDPI website