Peripheral facial palsy caused by Borrelia burgdorferi and viruses in south-western Finland.
In a prospective study from 1983 through 1984, 77 patients (31 men and 46 women with a mean age of 47 +/- 20 years) with peripheral facial palsy of primarily unknown etiology were investigated. Only 2 patients with acute otitis media received antibiotics. Serology of the patients was investigated on days 1 and 14. IgG and IgM antibodies against herpes simplex, varicella-zoster and cytomegalovirus were determined by enzyme immunoassay, and against Epstein-Barr virus by immunofluorescence. In a retrospective analysis, IgM, IgA and IgG antibodies against Borrelia burgdorferi were determined by enzyme immunoassay. Borreliosis was diagnosed in 5 patients and varicella-zoster infection in 7. There was no statistically significant difference in recovery time between the different groups. Follow-up time for the patients with borreliosis was over 5 years. Neither meningeal symptoms nor polyneuropathy was observed in the patients with borreliosis even in the absence of antibiotic therapy.
Puhakka
H J
HJ
Department of Otolaryngology, University of Turku, Finland.
Laurikainen
E
E
Viljanen
M
M
Meurman
O
O
Valkama
H
H
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015748:Borrelia burgdorferi Group; D005158:Facial Paralysis / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D005387:Finland / Q000453:epidemiology; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008193:Lyme Disease / Q000150:complications*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010523:Peripheral Nervous System Diseases / Q000209:etiology; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012621:Seasons; D014777:Virus Diseases / Q000150:complications