[Lyme borreliosis: how is it manifested in Spain?].
BACKGROUND
Lyme borreliosis is not usually diagnosed in Spanish patients since before 1987. The aim of this study was to know the clinical spectrum of infection by Borrelia burgdorferi in Spain by a prospective epidemiologic study.


METHODS
The period of collection of cases was from 1987 to 1989 and the follow-up period was of 2 years following diagnosis. Detection of serum antibodies was performed by indirect immunofluorescence and ELISA to patients with clinical suspicion of Lyme borreliosis established in 17 Spanish hospitals. The clinical and serologic data and the possibility of other disease which could justify the symptoms were evaluated with the doctor responsible for the patient.


RESULTS
Fifty-four patients with clinical manifestations and serologic data indicative of the disease and in whom other diagnosis were excluded were detected. Other diseases which could be the cause of the symptomatology were diagnosed in 26 patients with positive serology. Sixty-three percent of the patients had neurologic symptoms, 46% articular symptoms, 44% cutaneous symptoms and 9% cardiac symptoms.


CONCLUSIONS
Lyme borreliosis is not exceptional in Spain. Its clinical spectrum may be situated half way between American and European epidemiologic descriptions. Serology must be interpreted by the clinical manifestations.
Guerrero
A
A
Sección de Enfermedades Infecciosas, Hospital Ramón y Cajal, Universidad de Alcalá de Henares, Madrid.
Quereda
C
C
Martí-Belda
P
P
Escudero
R
R
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000097:blood; D015748:Borrelia burgdorferi Group / Q000276:immunology; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D015787:Erythema Chronicum Migrans / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D006801:Humans; D008193:Lyme Disease / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D013030:Spain / Q000453:epidemiology
D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial
Borreliosis de Lyme: cómo se manifiesta en España?