Why Therapeutic Plasma Exchange May Be the Next Frontier in Treating Post-Infectious Illness

What if the lingering symptoms after Lyme disease, COVID-19, or another infection aren’t simply “in your head” or something you have to live with? In this new research review, Dr. Gary Kaplan, examines the growing evidence that persistent immune dysfunction may be driving conditions such as post-treatment Lyme disease syndrome (PTLDS), Long COVID, ME/CFS, and PANS/PANDAS. His review, published in Transfusion and Apheresis Science, “Therapeutic plasma exchange and immunomodulatory strategies in post-infectious syndromes: A review of immune dysregulation in PTLDS, long COVID, ME/CFS, and PANS/PANDAS,” explores the latest science behind these conditions and what it could mean for the future of personalized treatment.

Therapeutic Plasma Exchange and Its Potential to Treat Immune-Driven Chronic Disease

One of the most promising areas explored in Dr. Kaplan’s review is the potential role of Therapeutic Plasma Exchange (TPE) for patients with post-infectious illnesses driven by immune dysfunction. TPE, which is now available as an outpatient service at the Kaplan Center, works by removing inflammatory molecules, autoantibodies, and immune complexes from the bloodstream, helping to reduce the immune system overactivity that may contribute to persistent symptoms.

While more clinical research is needed, Dr. Kaplan explains that TPE may offer the greatest benefit for carefully selected patients with measurable immune abnormalities. His review underscores the importance of identifying the right patients through biomarker testing and supports continued research into TPE as a personalized treatment option for complex conditions such as Long COVID, post-treatment Lyme disease syndrome, ME/CFS, and PANS/PANDAS.