Lyme Carditis (Case-histories)

Overview

The old and new disease described as Lyme borreliosis (LB) is characterized by difficulties as regards establishment of the diagnosis in particular due to the considerable variability of the clinical picture but to a certain extent also the high prevalence of specific antibodies in the so-called healthy population. The authors prepared for presentation two case-histories of patients with the cardiac form of the disease which is from the diagnostic aspect one of the most difficult. ones. On their example they try to demonstrate the importance of a comprehensive approach including in addition to clinical manifestations a positive epidemiological case-history and presence of specific anti-borrelia antibodies. Although a disease with a low frequency is involved (according to the NIPH in 1998 only 0.3 of this affected patients from the total number of patients with LB were involved) it is essential to consider this possibility in differential diagnostic reflections in obscure cardiac diseases.

Key words:
Lyme carditis - Lyme borreliosis - diagnosis