Spirochetes in atrophic skin lesions accompanied by minimal host response in a child with Lyme disease

J Am Acad Dermatol. 1991 Aug;25(2 Pt 2):395-7. doi: 10.1016/0190-9622(91)70213-l.

Abstract

Acrodermatitis chronica atrophicans, which has rarely been observed in the United States, is a late skin manifestation of Lyme borreliosis. A 12-year-old girl who spent summers on Cape Cod presented with a 2-year history of hyperpigmentation and atrophy of the skin on the hands, wrists, and ankles. The skin biopsy specimen of an affected area showed mild dermal fibrosis, a few inflammatory cells, and spirochetes morphologically compatible with Borrelia burgdorferi. An IgG antibody response to B. burgdorferi could be elicited by immunoblotting, but not by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. We conclude that this patient had chronic Lyme borreliosis manifested only by indolent infection of the skin.

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Acrodermatitis / etiology*
  • Acrodermatitis / immunology
  • Acrodermatitis / microbiology
  • Ankle
  • Antibodies, Bacterial / analysis
  • Atrophy
  • Borrelia burgdorferi Group / immunology
  • Borrelia burgdorferi Group / isolation & purification*
  • Child
  • Chronic Disease
  • Female
  • Hand Dermatoses / etiology
  • Hand Dermatoses / microbiology
  • Humans
  • Leg Dermatoses / etiology
  • Leg Dermatoses / microbiology
  • Lyme Disease / complications*
  • Lyme Disease / immunology
  • Pigmentation Disorders / etiology
  • Skin / microbiology*

Substances

  • Antibodies, Bacterial