[Chronic encephalomyelitis caused by Borrelia burgdorferi. Case report]

We present a female patient with typical third stage neuroborreliosis with progressive chronic encephalomyelitis. One month after a tick bite, in the first stage of Lyme disease, she had myalgias during ten days and after one year polyarthralgias and polyarthritis. Neurological problems occurred 15 years after the tick bite with headache, nystagmus, intentional tremor and spastic paraparesis with sphincter disturbances. Etiological diagnosis was established after three years. Cytobiochemical findings in cerebrospinal liquor were normal but oligoclonal IgG bands were found. Fluorescent antibody test was positive in serum (1:75) as well as ELISA (1:447). The patient reacted favourably to intravenous crystal penicillin 20 x 10(6) units daily during 18 days. Till now, she is in remission and has only mild paresis of the left leg.