PERIPHERAL FACIAL PALSY - ANTIBODY-LEVELS TO BORRELIA IN SERUM AND CSF

Serum antibodies to Borrelia burgdorferi antigen were determined in 71 consecutive patients with an acute peripheral facial palsy. The study was conducted for one year in a south western coastal region in Swede n. Twenty-one per cent of the patients had significantly elevated seru m levels of antibodies to Borrelia burdorferi antigen. CSF was examine d in 13 of the sero-positive patients. In three of these (23%) Borreli a antibodies were found. Another five patients had a pathological prot ein and cell pattern in the CSF. No seasonal differences were observed . Four of the sero-positive patients had a long-term history of dermat ological neurological manifestations compatible with the late third st age of the disease.