New Hampshire man in coma after rare tick-borne illness

A 66-year-old retired pharmacist from Concord, New Hampshire, named John Reagan, has fallen into a coma following a tick bite. Although Reagan removed the tick immediately in early May, believing he had avoided the risk of Lyme disease, he subsequently developed severe symptoms including fever, headache, nausea, and muscle pain.

His condition deteriorated rapidly, leading to a loss of speech and mobility, as well as severe brain edema that caused respiratory arrest. After initial medical assessments failed to identify the cause, Reagan was transferred to Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. Specialized testing for tick-borne illnesses was conducted, with blood samples sent to the Mayo Clinic to identify the aggressive pathogen responsible for his critical state.