title: Lyme borreliosis in Bell's palsy. Long Island Neuroborreliosis Collaborative Study Group.
abstract: Lyme borreliosis (LB) causes a range of neurologic manifestations, the most common of which is facial nerve paralysis. To evaluate nervous system LB, we organized a neurologic collaborative study group in Suffolk County, NY, a region of high LB incidence. Between July and September 1989, LB serologies were performed on all patients with new-onset Bell's palsy. Seven of 32 had serologic evidence of LB at onset. One, initially seronegative, was highly seropositive 5 weeks later. In the five in whom we examined CSF, there was no evidence of intrathecal synthesis of specific antibody. In highly endemic areas, LB may be responsible for 1/4 of cases of Bell's palsy. Rarely, the palsy may occur prior to the development of a measurable antibody response, indicating a need for follow-up serologic testing.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, State University of New York, Stony Brook.
authors.forename: J J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Halperin
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Golightly
mesh_terms: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis; D015748:Borrelia burgdorferi Group / Q000302:isolation & purification; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005158:Facial Paralysis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D008193:Lyme Disease / Q000150:complications* / Q000276:immunology; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012189:Retrospective Studies
chemical_list: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial