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Intracranial aneurysms in three patients with disseminated Lyme borreliosis: cause or chance association?
  1. J Oksia,e,g,
  2. H Kalimob,
  3. R J Marttilac,
  4. M Marjamäkif,
  5. P Sonninend,
  6. J Nikoskelainen,
  7. M K Viljanenf,g
  1. aDepartment of Internal Medicine, bDepartment of Pathology, cDepartment of Neurology, dDepartment of Radiology, Turku University Central Hospital, Finland, eDepartment of Medical Microbiology, Turku University, Finland, fNational Public Health Institute, Department in Turku, Finland, gTurku Immunology Centre (7), Turku, Finland
  1. Dr Jarmo Oksi, Turku University, Department of Medical Microbiology, Kiinamyllynkatu 13, FIN-20520 Turku, Finland. Fax 00358 2 2330008; email: jarmo.oksi{at}utu.fi

Abstract

METHODS Three patients with Borrelia burgdorferi infection and intracranial aneurysms are described.

RESULTS All three patients had neurological symptoms. Perivascular and vasculitic lymphocytic inflammation were detected in the brain biopsy specimen of one patient. The aneurysm was located in the internal carotid arteries in two patients and in the basilar artery in one patient. The aneurysm ruptured in two patients.

CONCLUSIONS Cerebral lymphocytic vasculitis and intracranial aneurysms may be associated with B burgdorferiinfection. It is suggested that inflammatory changes caused byB burgdorferi in vessel walls may be a pathogenetic mechanism for the formation of aneurysms.

  • intracranial aneurysm
  • Borrelia burgdorferi
  • Lyme disease
  • magnetic resonance imaging
  • magnetic resonance angiography
  • vasculitis

https://doi.org/10.1136/jnnp.64.5.636

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