Men and women with early Lyme disease show different symptoms, test results and clinical signs, according to a new study.

The research analysed data from 243 adults aged 20 to 84, including 118 women and 125 men, diagnosed with early Lyme disease before and after treatment.

Researchers found men were more likely to have a positive laboratory test and to show more obvious, severe indicators of disease at diagnosis, including other laboratory abnormalities.

However, there was no difference between men and women in how long they had been ill.

The study also identified symptoms reported more often by women, including heart palpitations, reported by 11.9 per cent of women compared with 4 per cent of men, vomiting, 7.6 per cent versus less than 1 per cent, and light sensitivity, 17 per cent versus 8.8 per cent.

Sleep difficulty was the only symptom reported more frequently by men, affecting 40 per cent compared with 24.6 per cent of women.

Men were found to have a disease pattern more similar to post-menopausal women than to pre-menopausal women, suggesting sex hormones may influence how early Lyme disease presents.

John Aucott, director of the Johns Hopkins Lyme Disease Clinical Research Center, said: “Males and females are different.

“For both findings, the male group was more similar to females who had undergone menopause and more different from females who had not.”

Further research is needed to determine the cause of these differences and their impact on time to diagnosis and the risk of developing later conditions after treatment.

Aucott said the next step will be to identify the mechanisms, such as hormone levels, underlying these differences.

An electronic nose using machine learning can detect early signs of ovarian cancer in blood samples with 97 per cent accuracy, according to researchers.

The device uses 32 sensors that react to volatile substances released from blood plasma.

Different cancers emit different substances, meaning each effectively has a distinct chemical pattern.

Rather than searching for a single biomarker, the system analyses a wide range of signals using machine-learning models trained to identify ovarian cancer.

The models are trained on known samples from a biobank, a collection of biological specimens used for research.

The approach was developed by researchers in Sweden.

Donatella Puglisi, associate professor at Linköping University, said: “We’re trying to mimic the mammalian sense of smell artificially.

“We’ve now developed an algorithm that can distinguish ovarian cancer from endometrial cancer and healthy control groups, using data from an electronic nose.

“More and more people are being diagnosed with cancer, especially young adults, and this is alarming.

“If screening were more accessible, both in terms of cost and location, it would be possible to improve early diagnosis.

“Our approach could facilitate the adoption of new screening protocols and the development of new diagnostic methods, improving survival rates, quality of life, and overall clinical outcomes.”

Electronic nose technology has existed for around 60 years.

The sensors used in the prototype are relatively simple models already available on the market, but recent advances in artificial intelligence and machine learning have enabled the technology to be used in new ways.

Current blood-based cancer screening typically involves searching for biomarkers specific to the suspected cancer.

However, researchers say these tests are often slow and lack accuracy.

Jens Eriksson, associate professor at Linköping University and chief technology officer at VOC Diagnostics AB, the company developing the electronic nose, said: “Unlike in breast cancer, there is currently no reliable ovarian cancer screening method.

“These tests are often based on a single biomarker and lack the precision required to detect the disease at an early stage.

“Our method is therefore far ahead not only in terms of accuracy but also in the ability to identify early disease.

“It’s a simple test that takes 10 minutes and gives a clear result. Our method can test many people at a low cost and is much more accurate than what’s on the market today.

“This study is a pilot, but we hope it will be used as part of cancer screening within three years. Right now, we’ve focused on detecting cancer, but the applications are endless.

Ovarian cancer often causes vague symptoms similar to those of more common conditions, meaning it is frequently diagnosed at a late stage when survival outcomes are poor.

In 2022, about 325,000 new cases and more than 200,000 deaths were reported globally, with estimates suggesting these figures will rise sharply by 2050.

Very heavy or very light periods may be linked to underlying health problems that affect quality of life and can influence fertility, according to medical experts.

Heavy menstrual bleeding is reported to have a major impact on daily life, with around two thirds of affected women seeking medical help. Beyond anaemia, which can cause fatigue, dizziness, pallor and a rapid heartbeat, heavy bleeding can lead to social and practical difficulties such as stained clothing, higher use of menstrual products and work limitations.

Doctors stress that the amount of bleeding itself does not directly affect fertility. Instead, abnormal bleeding can reflect underlying conditions, some of which can make it harder to become pregnant.

Raúl Villasevil, a specialist in obstetrics and gynaecology at San Carlos Clinical Hospital in Madrid, Spain, said: “The most frequent causes of heavy periods are polyps, fibroids, adenomyosis, some malignant tumours, ovulatory and coagulation problems, endometrial disorders, and certain medications.”

Very light periods can also signal problems, including uterine malformations, intrauterine adhesions, where scar tissue forms inside the womb, and anatomical abnormalities of the vagina. They may also point to ovulatory and hormonal disorders such as hyperprolactinaemia, which involves excess production of the hormone prolactin, or polycystic ovary syndrome. Once confirmed, these conditions can lead to symptoms including infertility.

To identify the cause of abnormal bleeding, Villasevil said doctors begin with a detailed personal and gynaecological history, followed by a physical examination and usually an ultrasound to assess the uterus and ovaries. Blood tests are also used to check for anaemia, coagulation status and hormonal function.

“This basic evaluation is often sufficient to establish the cause of the bleeding abnormality and to propose solutions. If this basic workup does not identify the cause, additional tests such as hysteroscopy or magnetic resonance imaging can be performed,” he added.

Hysteroscopy involves inserting a small camera into the womb to examine it from the inside.

In most cases, the cause of menstrual abnormalities can be identified and treated. A range of treatments allow a personalised approach for each woman, taking into account whether she wishes to have children, her age and her individual needs at different stages of life.