title: Specific cutaneous infiltrates of B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia (B-CLL) at sites typical for Borrelia burgdorferi infection.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Cutaneous manifestations of B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia (B-CLL) comprise a wide spectrum of clinicopathologic presentations. In some cases, onset of skin lesions is triggered by antigenic stimulation, and specific skin infiltrates at sites of previous herpes simplex or herpes zoster infection have been well documented. Specific skin manifestations of B-CLL can also be observed at sites typical for lymphadenosis benigna cutis (nipple, scrotum, earlobe), a Borrelia burgdorferi-associated cutaneous B-cell pseudolymphoma.
  
  
  METHODS
  We studied specific skin manifestations of B-CLL arising at sites typical for B. burgdorferi-induced lymphadenosis benigna cutis, analyzing tissues for presence of B. burgdorferi DNA using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technique. Six patients with B-CLL (M : F = 4 : 2; mean age: 67.8) presented with specific skin lesions located on the nipple (four cases) and scrotum (two cases).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Clinically there were solitary erythematous plaques or nodules. Histology revealed in all cases a dense, monomorphous infiltrate of small lymphocytes showing an aberrant CD20+/CD43+ phenotype. In all cases monoclonality was demonstrated by PCR analysis of the JH gene rearrangement. PCR analysis showed in four of the six cases the presence of DNA sequences specific for B.burgdorferi.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our study demonstrates that infection with B. burgdorferi can trigger the development of specific cutaneous infiltrates in patients with B-CLL.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, University of Graz, Austria. lorenzo.cerroni@kfunigraz.ac.at
authors.forename: Lorenzo
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Cerroni
authors.forename: Gerald
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Höfler
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Bäck
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Wolf
authors.forename: Gerlinde
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Maier
authors.forename: Helmut
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kerl
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000473:pathology*; D025065:Borrelia burgdorferi / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D004273:DNA, Neoplasm / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D015322:Gene Rearrangement, B-Lymphocyte / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D007144:Immunoglobulin J-Chains / Q000235:genetics; D015451:Leukemia, Lymphocytic, Chronic, B-Cell / Q000150:complications / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology*; D008193:Lyme Disease / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009558:Nipples / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D019310:Pseudolymphoma / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology*; D012611:Scrotum / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology*
chemical_list: D004273:DNA, Neoplasm; D007144:Immunoglobulin J-Chains