Demonstration of spirochetes in cardiac biopsies of patients with Lyme disease.

[Guest guest]

J Infect Dis. 1989 Jul;160(1):150-3. Links

 

Demonstration of spirochetes in cardiac biopsies of patients with Lyme

disease.

 

de Koning J, Hoogkamp-Korstanje JA, van der Linde MR, Crijns HJ.

Department of Pathology, Laboratory for Public Health, Leeuwarden, The

Netherlands.

 

Cardiac involvement occurring early in Borrelia burgdorferi infection is a

clinical manifestation of human Lyme disease. Therefore, two patients with

acute complete atrioventricular heart blocks and unexplained recurrent

dizziness were studied. Both patients had significantly elevated serum titers

of IgM and IgG antibodies to B. burgdorferi. Right ventricular

subendocardial biopsies showed dense infiltrates consisting of lymphocytes and

plasma

cells. Silver staining revealed spirochetes characteristic of B. burgdorferi

near and in the infiltrates, between the muscle fibers, and in the

endocardium. One patient responded to penicillin; the other did not,

necessitating

installation of a pacemaker. Thus, permanent heart damage may result from

cardiac involvement in Lyme disease.

 

PMID: 2732509