Bilateral facial palsy in an older person

Abstract

Lyme disease is an infectious disease caused by the Borrelia burgdorferi spirochetes and other related species that are transmitted through an infected tick bite. We report the case of an older patient presenting with bilateral facial palsy due to Lyme disease. Multiple non-specific clinical signs preceded facial palsy with falls, fatigue and pain of both legs especially during the night. Our case illustrates the difficulty to diagnose this infectious disease, especially in older patients who have rare outdoor activities and a low risk of tick exposure.

Keywords: Lyme disease; Lyme neuroborreliosis; facial diplegia; older people.