FIRST DESCRIPTION OF RECURRENT PERICARDIAL-EFFUSION ASSOCIATED WITH BORRELIA-BURGDORFERI INFECTION

Lyme disease is well known for affecting the myocardium in the form of carditis and dilated cardiomyopathy. Pericardial effusion associated with Lyme disease has not been described as yet. This article demonstr ates a case of a female patient, 54 years of age, with Borrelia burgdo rferi infection and associated pericardial effusion. Recurrent pericar diocenteses as well as conventional treatment of the condition were wi thout success. Diagnosis of Borrelia infection and subsequent treatmen t with ceftriaxone led to permanent restitution of the pericardial eff usion. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd.