Lyme disease can certainly be a pickle. Some doctors are accused of not using antibiotics aggressively enough. Now, this one under fire for using extended-term antibiotics:
Lyme disease is a bacterial infection usually transmitted by a tick bite. In North Carolina, the number of reported cases has risen from 47 in 2000 to 111 in 2004.
Symptoms include fever, headache, fatigue and a characteristic “bull’s eye” skin rash. When caught early, Lyme disease can be treated with oral antibiotics. When treatment is delayed, daily intravenous antibiotics are required. Medical guidelines suggest therapy for 14 to 28 days.
But Jemsek treats patients longer. For each of the five patients, “in the absence of any research,” Jemsek prescribed intravenous antibiotics for several months, the board said. Also, the board said Jemsek didn’t adequately inform patients that his treatment is a departure from standards.
