The pathology of tick-borne illnesses

As a newly retired pathologist with a second career in tick-borne disease advocacy, I had the opportunity to speak to some of my former pathology colleagues early this year.  The presentation was part of a wellness retreat for staff and forensic pathology trainees at Ontario Forensic Pathology Services in Toronto. Key messages were:

• The pathology of Lyme and other tick-borne illnesses and how research is badly needed to identify these frequently elusive pathogens at autopsy
• The fact that tick borne diseases can result in mental health manifestations and suicide and the victim may not have known that tick-borne  infection caused or contributed to their depression
• How to protect ourselves and our families against tick bites and recognize the possibility of infection as early as possible