Der Borrelien-Titer bei HNO-Erkrankungen*

Abstract

In 139 patients with facial paralysis, sudden hearing loss, vertigo, and lymphadenitis of the head and neck, the prevalence of borrelia burgdorferi serum antibodies was examined with the help of immunofluorescence assays for IgG- and IgM-antibodies, immunofluorescence assays after absorption of cross-reacting antibodies with treponema phagedenis, ELISA, and Western Blot. Six out of 22 patients with facial paralysis, 11 out of 72 with hearing loss, eight out of 45 with vertigo, and five out of 25 with lymphadenitis of the head and neck were seropositive. These patients were compared with a control group of 52 patients without any clinical signs of Lyme disease. The control group consisted of patients admitted for surgery of septal deformities (n = 19), squamous cell carcinomas (n = 27), and pleomorphic adenomas of the salivary glands (n = 6). In nine out of 52 patients in the control group, antibodies against Borrelia burgdorferi were detectable. According to Fisher's exact test, there was no statistical difference between the two groups as regards the prevalence of seropositive patients. Lyme disease is a doubtful major etiologic factor in facial paralysis, sudden hearing loss, or vertigo.

Lyme borreliosis, an etiological factor in sensorineural hearing loss?

“…The prevalence of seropositivity against B. burgdorferi in over 2000 patients with vertigo in our Department was 2%, which is at the same level as the prevalence of seropositivity in the normal Finnish population [25]. In accordance with our results, some previous studies have shown a connection between sudden SHL and the presence of positive levels of antibodies against B. burgdorferi [8,10,22,31]. If not supported by other positive laboratory findings or typical clinical signs, a positive serological finding alone does not confirm the causal relationship between sudden SHL and LB.…”

“…LB seems to affect the cochlear part of the nerve more often [31], but the vestibular part can also be involved [10,25]. Reik [30] has reported the occurrence of sudden SHL in patients with both early and late LB.…”

Acoustic Reflex and House-Brackmann Rating Scale as Prognostic Indicators of Peripheral Facial Palsy in Neuroborreliosis

“…With the aim to prevent long term sequels of facial palsy, in the present study acoustic refl ex values and HB scale score were assessed as prognostic indicators of facial palsy in neuroborreliosis. Borreliosis was present in 35 (19.88%) of 176 patients with facial palsy, which is consistent with literature data, where its inci-dence ranges from 7.1% to 41% 3, [14][15][16] . However, the body of data on its incidence is rather scarce, the more so as a higher percentage of facial palsy in borreliosis is reported in pediatric population.…”