Distinct Clinico-pathogenic Subgroups in Pediatric Lyme Neuroborreliosis

Lyme neuroborreliosis (LNB) is a common manifestation of Lyme disease in children. It is caused by the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi and can affect both the peripheral nervous system (PNS) and the central nervous system (CNS). This study aimed to describe clinical and immunological features of LNB in children.

We performed a large retrospective cohort study of children diagnosed with LNB at the University Children's Hospital Zurich from 1 January 2006 to 31 December 2020.

A total of 190 children diagnosed with LNB were included (median age, 7.6 years). Meningitis was the most frequent manifestation of LNB (n = 115, 60.5%), followed by isolated cranial neuropathy (iCN) (n = 55, 28.9%) and meningoradiculitis (n = 15, 7.9%). Five (2.7%) patients presented with rare, severe CNS manifestations, including acute myelitis and cerebral vasculitis. The most frequent specific clinical signs were facial palsy (n = 136, 71.6%) and a history of erythema migrans (n = 33, 17.4%). Borrelia burgdorferi-specific IgM and IgG antibody responses in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and blood were primarily directed against the following 3 antigens: VlsE, p41, and OspC, with broader responses in blood. Compared to patients with meningitis or meningoradiculitis, iCN patients had lower CSF inflammation, reduced positivity in B burgdorferi-specific tests (ELISA, immunoblot, and/or intrathecal antibody production), weaker antibody responses to VlsE, p41, and OspC, and shorter post-treatment symptom duration.

Lyme neuroborreliosis in children presents with a broad clinical spectrum, with meningitis and iCN being the most common manifestations. We observed distinct clinico-pathogenic subgroups of LNB: iCN reflects a more localized, PNS-restricted disease, whereas meningitis and meningoradiculitis represent a more systemic involvement of both PNS and CNS. These findings may improve diagnostic accuracy and guide the management of children with LNB.