Cost Effectiveness of Oral as Compared with Intravenous Antibiotic Therapy for Patients with Early Lyme Disease or Lyme Arthritis

Abstract

A particular concern has been whether chronic neuroborreliosis may develop months or years after treatment with oral antibiotic regimens for either early Lyme disease or Lyme arthritis. In this report we address the question of whether oral doxycycline or intravenous ceftriaxone is more cost effective in the treatment of early Lyme disease or Lyme arthritis. We consider the efficacy, side effects, and cost of each regimen.