Abstract
Post-Lyme syndrome is a term frequently used for symptoms persisting in patients who have experienced Lyme borreliosis (LB). The symptoms usually persist for months to years without responding to repeated antibiotic treatment.
A prospective study has been performed to optimize PCR diagnostic of neuroborreliosis (NB) during the years 2000-2005 [3]. All the patients (n=145) included in this study displayed symptoms of nervous system disturbances and laboratory proof of intrathecal borrelial infection (in 128 patients intrathecally produced antiborrelial antibodies were found and in 17 patients specific DNA was detected by PCR [3]).
All patients were hospitalized, treated by antibiotic intravenously for 3 weeks (86 by benzylpenicillin 20mlU/d, 39 by cefotaxime 3 g/d). After being discharged, examination by a neurologist and laboratory tests were performed at the standard intervals -3 and 6 months.
Objective neurological findings 6 months after treatment were as follows: 119 patients (82%) were normalized, 22 patients (15%) manifested mild and moderate residual neurological deficit and 4 patients (3%) had more extensive peripheral nervous deficit (due to Bannwarth's syndrome). The majority of patients suffered from acute NB (Table I) -102 patients (82%) indicated a history lasting less than 3 months before treatment, and only 13 patients (10%) had troubles longer than 6 months.