Attending the ILADS 2025 Annual Scientific Conference in San Antonio this October was an immersive and inspiring experience. As someone deeply invested in the frontier of tick‑borne disease research and treatment, I want to share highlights, reflections, and key take‑aways from sessions on advanced brain imaging, neuroinflammation, IV therapies, and peptide protocols.

This year’s ILADS meeting was held in San Antonio, TX. The theme, “From Terrain to Treatment: Advances in Vector‑Borne Illness,” underscored a shift toward a more holistic perspective with novel treatment strategies. Over four days, clinicians, researchers, and allied professionals convened to exchange data, debate challenging cases, and survey the evolving frontiers of managing persistent tick‑borne disease.

Below, I break down some of the sessions and insights that resonated most with me.

Advanced Brain Imaging & Neuroinflammatory Mapping

One of the most exciting strands of the conference was the growing use of advanced neuroimaging to probe central nervous system inflammation, microstructural changes, and neural network disruption in patients with tick‑borne illness. These sessions felt like a preview of where the field may head in the next 5–10 years. Many imaging techniques still only exist in the research realm. SPECT scans are the exception and are available now to patients to aid in evaluation and treatment.

• SPECT scans
  A few speakers discussed SPECT images are able to describe brain areas with normal and abnormal blood flow. These images can help doctors identify the areas of the brain most affected by the disease state or past-injury, providing guidance on how to target treatment strategies. 

Neuroinflammation & Tick‑borne Illness

A major underlying theme was that persistent symptoms after tick-borne infection are not just “residual bugs,” but often reflect a chronic inflammatory process, immune dysregulation, and neural injury. The presentations in this domain wove together immunology, neurology, and systems biology.

Key Insights

• Inflammatory cytokines & microglial priming
  Multiple talks revisited the role of pro‑inflammatory cytokines in sustaining low‑grade but damaging brain inflammation.
  
• Blood-brain barrier (BBB) integrity & permeability
  There was renewed focus on how tick-borne pathogens, co-infections, or inflammation might perturb the brain barriers tight junctions, creating “leaky brain”. 
• Neurovascular oxidative stress & mitochondrial injury
  Speakers connected mitochondrial dysfunction in neurons with oxidative stress and microvascular dysregulation in the brain. The model is that a “perfect storm” of reduced energy production, inflammation, and vascular strain can underlie cognitive symptoms.
  
• Molecular & proteomic biomarkers
  Researchers presented pilot data on new potential biomarkers for neuroinflammation. Others discussed urinary pathogen derived markers as emerging diagnostic adjuncts.
  

IV Therapy for Tick‑borne Illness

Given longstanding interest (and controversy) in intravenous protocols (antibiotics, nutrient infusions, chelation, etc.), the conference included a number of sessions on when, how, and to whom IV therapy should be considered.

What Was Covered

• Antimicrobial IV regimens
  Clinicians presented a case series of prolonged IV antibiotic courses especially with neurologic or cardiac involvement. Detailed multi-drug combinations were discussed as critical to addressing these complex infections.
  
• Adjunctive IV immunomodulation / antioxidant support
  IV nutrient cocktails and IV immune modulators were also highlighted as useful tools in in cases where the issue is chronic inflammation more than chronic infection. The rationale is that specifically tailored nutrients might support mitochondrial recovery, quench oxidative stress, and modulate immune balance.
  
• Oxygen / ozone / hyperbaric adjuncts
  IV ozone therapy (autohemotherapy) or hyperbaric oxygen were presented as synergistic adjuncts to antibiotic/immune strategy. These remain contentious, and speakers often stressed rigorous patient selection, screening, and standardization of protocols to avoid adverse events.
  
• Protocol refinement & tapering
  One recurring message: IV therapy is not all-or-nothing. Many providers described using IV therapy to support or synergize with other oral therapies. While it was noted that some cases call for IV therapy from weeks to months, many will benefit from intermittent supportive therapy. 

Reflections:
The dialogue around IV therapy is maturing. No one pretends it’s risk-free or universally indicated, but the experience shared at ILADS 2025 suggests that in the right patient subsets (e.g. CNS-predominant, co-infections, refractory disease), IV strategies may play a helpful role, especially when paired with biomarker monitoring and cautious oversight.

Peptide Therapy: Emerging Frontier 

Perhaps the most forward-looking track was on peptides: bioactive short chains with immunoregulatory, mitochondrial, or neuroprotective effects. Although still off‑label and experimental, peptide therapies are gaining momentum in certain clinics, and they generated some of the most hopeful conversations.

Interesting Approaches & Mechanisms

• Mitochondrial / metabolic peptides
  Several clinicians discussed peptides and bioregulators like BPC‑157, thymic peptides, or mitochondrial-targeting peptides as adjuvants. The idea: to support intracellular repair, reduce reactive oxygen species (ROS), and boost mitochondrial resilience in chronically stressed neural tissue.
  
• Neurotrophic / neuroprotective peptides
  Peptides like Cerebrolysin, Semax, or Selank were mentioned in relation to synaptic support, neurogenesis, or modulation of neuroimmune cross-talk. Some clinicians are trialing low-dose regimens in patients with cognitive deficits or mood lability.
  
• Immunoregulatory peptides & modulators
  Another theme: peptides that modulate cytokine signaling or immune checkpoints—essentially bridging innate immunity with adaptive regulation. A few presenters floated peptides that might shift the balance from chronic pro-inflammatory signaling (Th1/Th17) toward regulatory or tolerant states.
  
• Microdosing, safety, and stacking
  Because peptides are biological and often have narrow therapeutic windows, several talks emphasized starting ultra-low, titrating slowly, and “stacking” with supportive nutrients (e.g. cofactors, antioxidants) to protect against flare reactions. Safety monitoring (liver function, autoimmunity panels) remains crucial.
  

Reflections:
Peptide therapy is one of the most speculative yet stimulating areas discussed. There is not yet large controlled trial evidence, but early anecdotal and mechanistic rationale are strong enough to warrant further formal study. For progressive clinicians and patients seeking new levers, peptides occupy a promising “next frontier.”

Closing Thoughts

Attending ILADS 2025 in San Antonio was a potent reminder that the field of tick-borne illness is maturing. The discourse has shifted: from “does persistent infection exist?” to “how do we stratify, intervene, and restore physiology in patients with lingering symptoms?” The emergence of advanced imaging, neuroinflammatory models, and novel therapies (IV, peptides) hints at a coming era in which clinicians will have more precise treatments and diagnostics to help patients who have long felt sidelined. Please contact Dr. Boulter at Vida Nova Integrative Medicine to discuss how these research updates and interventions may fit into your treatment plan.