- Scientists have known Lyme disease is congenital since 1985, when a pregnant woman in Wisconsin was bitten by a tick in her first trimester. Though she developed a bullseye rash, she received no medical treatment. Her fetus was delivered alive in its 35th week but died shortly thereafter of congenital heart disease. An autopsy revealed Lyme spirochetes in the baby’s spleen, kidneys and bone marrow. After the tragedy, the mother tested positive for Lyme disease.
- In the 2001 edition of the textbook, Infectious Diseases of the Fetus and Newborn ID specialist, Tessa Gardner, identified 66 case reports of congenital Lyme out of a pool of 269. etc. There were also several cases of spirochetes found in the placenta.