Serena Williams’ husband, Alexis Ohanian, has been diagnosed with Lyme disease.
After the 41-year-old Reddit co-founder went through a battery of tests, he revealed his diagnosis in a series of tweets on X. He found it odd because he was non-symptomatic.
He also noted that he has to improve his excellent cholesterol, which Ohanian said is too low.
Ohanian emphasized to his 563,700 platform followers that he was not giving out mass-market health advice on Lyme disease.
The Mayo Clinic defines Lyme disease as a bacterium infection that often manifests in people after they are bitten by a tick that carries the Borrelia bacteria.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimate that 476,000 Americans may get Lyme disease diagnoses and treatments annually; this number includes those who receive treatment due to clinical suspicion but may not really have the disease. (Lyme tests can consist of false positives.)
Taking antibiotics for 10–14 days usually clears up most instances, and if started early enough, the patient will make a full recovery.
An American Medical Association study from January 2023 said that therapy is problematic due to a lack of evidence-based guidelines for caring for those having chronic symptoms and expanding disinformation, adding fuel to the fire of the disease’s contentious nature. Some patients may mistakenly assume that Lyme disease is the cause of their ongoing symptoms, according to the AMA, even if there is no proof of ever having had the disease.
Ohanian is just one of several well-known people who have spoken out about their struggles with Lyme illness. Ben Stiller, Amy Schumer, Justin Bieber, and Bella Hadid are among the other famous people.
Ohanian and Williams, parents of two, were in attendance at last week’s ESPYs in Los Angeles, where Williams served as host. The tennis great made headlines by taking aim at NFL kicker Harrison Butker at the event.
