Best Practice & Research Clinical Rheumatology
Volume 20, Issue 6 , Pages 1099-1118, December 2006

Lyme borreliosis

  • Sebastian Schnarr, MD (Consultant Rheumatologist, Director of the Rheumaklinik Ostbayern, Bad Fuessing)
  • Juliane K. Franz, MD (Consultant Rheumatologist, Director of the Privatklinik im Park, Bad Schinznach)
  • Andreas Krause, MD, PhD (Professor of Medicine, Consultant Rheumatologist, Director of Rheumakliniken Berlin-Buch and Berlin-Wannsee)
  • Henning Zeidler, MD, PhD (Professor of Medicine, Consultant Rheumatologist, Director of the Division of Rheumatology, Medical School Hannover)

      Affiliations

    • Corresponding Author InformationCorresponding author. Tel.: +49 511 532 2191; Fax: +49 511 532 5841.

Rheumaklinik Ostbayern, Bad Fuessing, Germany

Privatklinik im Park, Bad Schinznach, Switzerland

Immanuel-Hospital, Rheumakliniken Berlin-Buch und Berlin-Wannsee, Berlin, Germany

Division of Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Medical School Hannover, Hannover, Germany

Lyme borreliosis is a tick-borne infectious disease caused by the spirochaetes Borrelia burgdorferi, B. garinii and B. afzelii. It comprises a wide spectrum of symptoms affecting skin, musculoskeletal system, heart, eyes, central and peripheral nervous system. The diagnosis is based on clinical findings in combination with detection of specific IgM and/or IgG antibodies. Diagnostic problems arise from patients with non-specific symptoms and positive IgG antibody detection. Adequate antibiotic therapy cures more than 90% of the patients. However, in some patients repeated therapy is necessary and a small number of patients develop chronic arthritis or other features. While there is currently no vaccine available, prevention of tick bite is the most effective prophylaxis.

Key words: Lyme disease, Lyme borreliosis, Borrelia burgdorferi, epidemiology, pathogenesis, diagnosis, therapy, prevention, vaccine

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PII: S1521-6942(06)00110-0

doi:10.1016/j.berh.2006.08.006

Best Practice & Research Clinical Rheumatology
Volume 20, Issue 6 , Pages 1099-1118, December 2006

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