[Clinical aspects of Borrelia burgdorferi infections]

Skin lesions due to Borrelia burgdorferi-like erythema migrans, lymphadenosis cutis benigna, and acrodermatitis chronica atrophicans - are hall-marks of a systemic infection, which tends to a chronically relapsing course. Even if the skin lesions are missing, or disappear spontaneously, the infection may persist and affect other organs. This presumption is supported by the outcome of a long-term follow-up study on seropositive forest workers. In association with meningopolyneuritis (Garin-Bujadoux-Bannwarth disease) and acrodermatitis chronica atrophicans - myositis and fasciitis have been recently reported as further possible manifestations of Borrelia burgdorferi infection. Borrelial infection during pregnancy should promptly be treated with antibiotics in high dosages, in order to prevent maternal-fetal transmission of borrelial organisms resulting in stillbirth or congenital defects of the newborn.