Borrelia infection and vertigo.
73 patients with vertigo were studied regarding serum antibodies to Borrelia spirochete antigen, using an indirect immunofluorescence method. Ten patients (14%) had serological evidence of Borrelia infection. All 10 patients had severe, incapacitating vertigo. Four of the Borrelia patients had positional vertigo and all 10 had positional nystagmus when tested using ENG. Five of them had unilateral caloric weakness. Five patients had abnormal oculomotor tests. Borrelia infection is an etiological factor which should be considered in patients suffering from vertigo especially if positional nystagmus is present.
Department of Audiology, Sahlgrenska Sjukhuset, Göteborg, Sweden.
U
U
Rosenhall
P
P
Hanner
B
B
Kaijser
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001899:Borrelia Infections / Q000150:complications*; D005260:Female; D006319:Hearing Loss, Sensorineural / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009759:Nystagmus, Pathologic / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D011187:Posture; D012438:Saccades; D014717:Vertigo / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology