Can Lyme disease kill you?

Quick answer

Deaths from Lyme disease are very rare. A CDC review of U.S. death records from 1999 to 2003 found only one that clearly matched Lyme disease. The few deaths described in medical reports were mostly linked to Lyme carditis, an infection of the heart that is treatable when it is recognized. Most people recover fully with antibiotics.

What the data show

Lyme disease was listed somewhere on 114 U.S. death certificates from 1999 to 2003. When CDC researchers reviewed them, only one fit the known features of Lyme disease (Kugeler et al., 2011). The authors concluded that Lyme disease is a rare cause of death in the United States.

A later CDC report looked at about 122,000 Lyme disease cases from seven high-incidence states between 1995 and 2013. It found two suspected deaths tied to Lyme carditis, roughly 0.002 percent of cases. Across its investigation, CDC described five sudden cardiac deaths linked to Lyme carditis, three confirmed and two suspected, including three described in a 2013 report (MMWR, 2014).

Lyme carditis: the main risk

Lyme carditis happens when the bacteria reach the heart tissue. They can interfere with the electrical signals that pass between the heart’s upper and lower chambers, a problem called heart block. Heart block can change quickly, which is why people with suspected severe Lyme carditis are admitted to the hospital for heart monitoring and IV antibiotics (CDC).

With treatment, most people recover in 1 to 6 weeks. Some need a temporary pacemaker while the heart heals. CDC’s 2014 report found carditis was more common in men aged 20 to 39, women aged 25 to 29, and adults 75 and older, compared with people aged 55 to 59. Learn more in our Lyme carditis guide.

Warning signs to take seriously

CDC lists these heart-related symptoms of Lyme carditis:

• Light-headedness or fainting
• Shortness of breath
• Heart palpitations (a racing, pounding or skipping heartbeat)
• Chest pain

People with carditis often also have fever and body aches, and sometimes the Lyme rash. Other serious but treatable problems include Lyme meningitis, with severe headache, stiff neck and light sensitivity. See neurological Lyme disease and Lyme disease symptoms.

Keeping it in perspective

It is normal to feel scared after reading about rare deaths. The key takeaways: Lyme disease is very rarely fatal, heart problems are treatable when caught, and most people recover completely with antibiotics. Knowing the warning signs and acting quickly is what matters most. For the bigger picture, read is Lyme disease curable?

Frequently asked questions