NODULAR PANNICULITIS - A FORM OF LYME-DISEASE

Infection with Borrelia burgdorferi can induce various skin manifestat ions. The type of skin manifestation and the histopathological picture depend on the stage of infection and vary from local inflammatory inf iltrates to chronic atrophic skin disease. Involvement of subcutaneous tissue has been observed only very rarely. We report on two patients suffering from nodular panniculitis (Pfeifer-Weber-Christian) and pres ent evidence that the disease was caused by Borrelia burgdorferi. In o ne of the cases Borrelia burgdorferi was repeatedly isolated from skin and subcutaneous tissue biopsies in spite of repeated high-dose thera py with ceftriaxone, Doxycycline and cefotaxime.