Lyme disease is Borrelia infection that primarily affects the skin with a characteristic rash, erythemamigrans (EM), but recently the neurologic manifestations (Neuroborreliosis) of this disease have beenreported.
A 27 year-old woman presented with unilateral acute sensorineural hearing loss and tinnitus in her leftear. These symptoms were progressive. Vision in her left eye has been hampered considerably after threeweeks, and it was diagnosed as post-ocular neuritis. And paralysis of the left side body was developed withina month. Because this patient didn't have a history of tick bite nor skin rash (EM), the diagnosis wasextremely difficult. After taking minocycline hydrochloride to treat atheroma with infection in her left auricle, incidentally the symptoms were improved.
Systemic infection was considered and Borrelia burgdorferi serum antibodies was examined. IgM-antibodiesof B. garinii and B. afzelii were detected in her serum, so Lyme disease was diagnosed. The left sensorineuralhearing loss and other symptoms were recovered in some degree after treatment for Lyme disease.After half-year the left sensorineural hearing loss with other neurologic manifestations were recurred, and the periodical observation should be required.
