Functional signs in patients consulting for presumed Lyme borreliosis.

INTRODUCTION: Little is known about the functional symptoms associated with Lyme borreliosis (LB) in Europe. We aimed to assess functional symptoms associated with presumed LB and to compare patients with and without confirmed LB. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We performed a retrospective monocenter study. Patients consulting for presumed LB were included. RESULTS: Between November 2015 and June 2018, 355patients were included (mean age: 51years, 52% of women) of which 48had LB: erythema migrans (42%), early disseminated LB (50%; 35% of neuroborreliosis cases), and late disseminated LB (8%). The most frequently reported functional symptoms were neuropathic pain (23%), arthralgia (23%), and asthenia (17%). Other functional symptoms were rare (≤10%). Three hundred and seven (86%) patients did not have LB. Patients with confirmed LB reported fewer functional symptoms than patients without LB (1.8 (±1.7) vs. 3.6 (±2.5), P<0.001) with a shorter duration of symptoms (< 3 months in 48% vs. 16% of cases, P<0.001). They less often reported asthenia (17% vs. 59%, P<0.001), widespread pain (10% vs. 31%, P=0.003), myalgia (10% vs. 32%, P=0.002), memory disorders (4% vs. 16%, P=0.03), irritability (2% vs. 23%, P±0.001), and sadness (0% vs. 16%, P=0.003). CONCLUSION: In patients consulting for presumed LB, patients diagnosed with LB had fewer and shorter functional symptoms than patients without LB.

[Clinical forms of neuroborreliosis among hospitalized patients in the years 2000-2005]. / Kliniczne postacie neuroboreliozy u chorych hospitalizowanych w latach 2000-2005.

THE AIM OF THE STUDY: To evaluate the frequency of clinical forms as well as laboratory and neuroimaging results of patients with diagnosed neuroborreliosis in the years 2000-2005 due to neuroborreliosis. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The records of 125 patients at the age of 21-83 (mean 49 years) treated in the years 2000-2005 in the Department of Infectious Diseases and Neuroinfections, Medical University, Bialystok were subject to retrospective analysis. Diagnosis was based on case history along with a clinical picture and presence of antibodies against Borrelia burgdorferi, using ELISA test (Borrelia IgM and Borrelia IgG recombinant Biomedica). The subject of the detailed analysis was demographic data, clinical symptoms as well as subjective complaints, results of neurological examinations, the results of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) parameters and results of serologic tests. RESULTS: The most frequent clinical symptoms observed were: headaches 71%, vertigo 44%, meningeal symptoms 22% and neurological paresis 27% (including facial palsy--23%). Inflammatory changes in CSF in the form of increased proteins concentration and pleocytosis were present among 34% of patients. In all cases the antibodies against B. burgdorferi were present in CSF in diagnostically significant titer. Serum presence of antibodies antiborrelia IgM was found with 55% of patients and anibodies antiborrelia IgG with 76% of patients. 17% of patients suffering from neuroborreliosis were also coinfected with tick-borne encephalitis virus. Along with the neurological symptoms, which were crucial to diagnosis, general symptoms coexisted, such as: weakness 35%, arthralgia 54% and nausea 17%. In the analyzed period of time neuroborreliosis was diagnosed in a 13% of hospitalized patient suffering from borreliosis. CONCLUSIONS: Absence of erythema migrans does not exclude existence of neuroborreliosis. Symptoms that may suggest presence of neuroborreliosis are not only neurological symptoms such as facial palsy, but also memory and concentration disorders and general symptoms.

[Lyme borreliosis. Cutaneous manifestation]. / Lyme-Borreliose. Kutane Manifestationen.

Lyme borreliosis is a tick transmitted infectious disease caused by different genospecies of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato. In USA only one species B. burgdorferi sensu stricto is prevalent, whereas in Europe at least 5 different pathogenic species could be identified. The most prevalent species are B. afzelii and B. garinii. Infection is not always causing disease. In early infection, a localized skin inflammation, called erythema migrans, occurs around the tick bite, hematogenous dissemination of Borrelia causes flu like symptoms up to meningitis and multiple erythemata migrantia on the skin. In late stage multiple organ systems can be affected, in Europe especially the skin with various forms of acrodermatitis chronica atrophicans, the central and peripheral nervous system, joints and heartmuscle. Lyme borreliosis can be diagnosed by the typical history, the clinical symptoms and the elevated Borrelia specific IgM- and IgG-antibodies in serum and CSF according to the MIQ guidelines, in special cases B. burgdorferi can be cultivated or DNA detected by PCR. Therapy of choice for early infection is oral antibiotics like doxycycline, amoxicillin and cefuroxime for at least 10 days up to 21 days. Late stage infections should be treated for 3-4 weeks. Patients with neurological symptoms should be treated intravenously with ceftriaxone or penicillin G.

Current diagnosis and treatment of lyme disease.

In more than 80% of cases, Lyme disease presents with an erythema migrans rash, but its characteristics can vary. Carditis, cranial palsies, lymphocytic meningitis, oligoarticular arthritis are manifestations of disseminated infection. Serological tests are helpful, but must be interpreted with caution. Standard antibiotic treatment regimens are highly effective.

Management of tick bites and early Lyme disease: a survey of Connecticut physicians.

Practice guidelines have been published for the treatment of Lyme disease (LD). These guidelines have been challenged as inadequate. Two common LD management problems are antibiotic prophylaxis of deer tick bites (deer ticks may carry Borrelia burgdorferi, the spirochete that causes LD) and antibiotic treatment of erythema migrans, the pathognomonic rash of LD. A 1-page questionnaire was sent to a 13% (573/4300) sample of Connecticut physicians to define how they treat deer tick bites and erythema migrans. Questionnaires were returned by 320 (56%) of 573 physicians. Questionnaires were analyzed for the 267 physicians who saw patients with LD. Seventy (26%) of the 267 surveyed physicians prescribed antibiotic prophylaxis for patients with tick bites. B burgdorferi serology was ordered by 31% of physicians for patients with tick bites. Most surveyed physicians treated erythema migrans with doxycycline or amoxicillin for a mean of 21 days. Serology was ordered by 49% of physicians for patients with erythema migrans. Most physicians did not use prophylaxis for patients with deer tick bites. In addition, most of the physicians surveyed followed established guidelines for treating patients with erythema migrans. However, many of the physicians surveyed do serologic testing for patients with tick bites and/or erythema migrans. Serologic testing for these patients is usually not necessary.

[Skin manifestations of Lyme borreliosis in patients at the 1st Dermato-venereologic Clinic of Comenius University Medical School in Bratislava 1996-1998]. / Kozné prejavy lymskej boreliózy u pacientov 1. dermatovenerologickej kliniky LF UK v Bratislave v rokoch 1996-1998.

60-70% of Lyme borreliosis is formed by early manifestations, in particular erythema migrans (EM). All vegetative forms of the tick Ixodes ricinus (e.g. full grown tick, nymphae and larvae) transmit the causal organism, the spirochete Borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto and Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato (B. garinii, B. afzelii). The objective of the work was to evaluate clinical and epidemiological parameters and to contribute by testing and investigating in greater detail criteria to the early and exact diagnosis of the disease. In a group of 50 patients the time of development of EM was evaluated, the mode of transmission, the incubation period, localization, symptoms of dissemination of B. burgdorferi, the period of treatment and the antibiotic used. The dynamics of the antibody titre against B. burgdorferi (IFA test) were assessed in 21 patients with EM for a period of 1 to 22 months and in 5 patients with acrodermatitis chronic atrophicans (ACA) for 3 to 55 months. In 50% EM developed during the summer months. 66% reported as the vector a tick, 14% insects and 20% did not know. An incubation of 1 and 2 weeks was reported in 34%, the lower extremities were affected in 52%. Manifestations of dissemination were found in 6 patients, in 2 patients EM relapsed. Antibodies (Ab) against B. burgdorferi were present in 38 patients. In 21 patients the dynamics of the antibody titre were followed up for 1 to 22 months and no substantial changes were found. Serum positivity in patients with ACA persisted without change of the titre for several years. In the treatment of EM most frequently doxycycline was administered for two weeks. EM as the early stage of LB is a seasonal disease with a natural focus. If treatment is started in the early stage of infection, antibodies against B. burgdorferi need not develop. There is no correlation between clinical complaints and serological results and the type of treatment. The prognosis of the disease is favourable in the majority of patients. Vaccination offers new possibilities in active protection against Borrelia infection, in particular in endemic areas. For European countries at present a recombined vaccine is being prepared from the surface lipoprotein A (OspA) made from prevalent strains of B. afzelii and B. garinii.

[Lyme borreliosis--diagnosis, clinical aspects and therapy of the cutaneous form]. / Lymská borelióza--diagnostika, klinika a terapia kozných foriem.

Occurrence of Lyme borreliosis and namely its skin forms have a rising tendency. Thick population of ticks and their relatively high contamination with borrelia (app. 9% in Slovakia), increased presence of man in nature and frequent professional exposition create good conditions for the spreading of the disease. During the period of 20 months in 1993-1994 19 cases of borreliosis were recorded among 2,187 patients hospitalized at the Bratislava Dermatologic Clinic--17 cases of erythema chronicum migrans and two cases of acrodermatitis chronica atrophicans. All patients stated that they came into contact with ticks 24 hours--12 months prior to the origin of dermatologic alterations. 14 cases of erythema chronicum migrans being IFT examined by means of B. burgdorferi antigen included 10 patients who yielded the titre of antibodies higher than 1:256; 6 patients being examined by means of ELISA test included 2 positive findings. The IFT values varied also in cases of classical clinical picture of erythema chronicum migrans and a discrepancy was observed between IFT and ELISA results. Two cases of acrodermatitis chronica atrophica had positive serologic test. The serologic tests were performed also in 4 cases of scleroderma with positive results. Into their analysis the authors included also other studies on the basis of which they present schemes of diagnostic examination and therapeutic interventions in Lyme borreliosis. (Tab. 2, Ref. 4.)

[Lyme disease in dermatology practice]. / Lajmska bolest u praksi dermatologa.

The authors studied a group of 77 patients with Erythema migrans. They were treated at the City Institute for Skin and Venereal Disease in Belgrade, over a five-year period (1988-1992). A tick bite at the site where Erythema migrans later appeared was recalled by 44 (57.1%) of the patients. The interval between tick bite and Erythema migrans varied from 1 to 45 days. The indirect IF test was seropositive in 11.6% of the Erythema migrans patients. In the present study the authors emphasize the importance of early treatment in order to minimize the longterm morbidity.

Contributions to the treatment of dermatologic manifestations of Lyme borreliosis.

Lyme borreliosis was identified in Czechoslovakia for the first time in 1985. Since then, more cases have gradually been identified. Since 1989, about 1,500 patients per ten million inhabitants have been reported every year. Having summarized the results of the therapy of 371 patients with dermatologic manifestations of lyme borreliosis (erythema migrans in 315, borrelial lymphocytoma in fifteen, and acrodermatitis chronica atrophicans in forty-one) we present the antibiotic regimens used by Czechoslovak dermatologists in clinical practice.