Lyme disease with lymphocytic meningitis, trigeminal palsy and silent thalamic lesion

Eur J Paediatr Neurol. 2008 Nov;12(6):501-4. doi: 10.1016/j.ejpn.2007.11.009. Epub 2008 Feb 11.

Abstract

We describe a follow-up in a 15-year-old boy with neuroborreliosis diagnosed by clinical symptoms, CSF and serum analysis. MRI revealed a thalamic lesion and an enhancement of the right trigeminal nerve clinically associated with mild hypasthesia in the right maxillary region. Both, clinical symptoms and radiological findings disappeared within 2 months after treatment. Borrelia burgdorferi specific IgM and IgG in CSF and IgG in serum became negative between 6 and 12 months after diagnosis. We show that neuroborreliosis at an early stage may present only with moderate neurological deficits and that at this stage MRI reveals distinct cerebral lesions which might even precede clinical manifestation. Thus, early diagnosis and treatment of neuroborreliosis may prevent persistent neurologic lesions.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / therapeutic use
  • Humans
  • Lyme Disease / complications*
  • Lyme Disease / drug therapy
  • Lyme Disease / pathology*
  • Lymphocytes / pathology*
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging
  • Male
  • Meningitis / pathology*
  • Paralysis / pathology
  • Post-Dural Puncture Headache / complications
  • Thalamic Diseases / pathology*
  • Thalamus / pathology
  • Trigeminal Nerve / pathology
  • Trigeminal Nerve Diseases / pathology*

Substances

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents