Lyme disease presenting as subacute transverse myelitis
By Linda on Feb 12, 2010 in Infections | comments(0)
Lyme disease (borreliosis) is a systemic illness resulting from infection
with the spirochete Borrelia burgdorferi. It is transmitted to humans by the
bites of infected ticks belonging to several species of the genus Ixodes.
After the bacteria enter the body via the dermis, most patients develop the
early, localised form of Lyme disease, which is characterised by erythema
migrans and influenza-like symptoms. This disease may also affect the heart,
nervous system and joints. The neurological findings of this disease may
include peripheral and central nervous system signs.
A 21-year-old woman attended a family medicine outpatient clinic complaining
of unexplained pain and muscle power loss in her lower extremities. The
problem had started in her right leg 3 months earlier and worsened in the
last week. She had a neurology consultation and was hospitalised. Her
neurological examination revealed bilateral facial paralysis and sensory
impairment. Immunoglobulin M antibody to B. burgdorferi was positive on
Western blotting in both serum and cerebrospinal fluid. The patient was
diagnosed with subacute neuroborreliosis and treated.
Acta Neurol Belg. 2009 Dec;109(4):326-9.
Koc F, Bozdemir H, Pekoz T, Aksu HS, Ozcan S, Kurdak H.
Department of Neurology, Cukurova University School of Medicine, Adana,
Turkey.
koc.filiz@gmail.com
