Diffuse reversible alopecia in patients with Lyme meningitis and tick-borne encephalitis

Alopecia occurring after febrile bacterial and viral infection is a phenome non well known since the beginning of the century. To evaluate the occurren ce of alopecia in tick transmitted disease, 23 adult patients with Lyme men ingitis and 71 patients with tick-borne encephalitis were included in a pro spective study and were followed up for one year. Diffuse alopecia occurred within three months after the outbreak of disease in 3 out of 23 (13 %) pa tients with Lyme meningitis and in 40 out of 71 (56.3 %) patients with tick -borne encephalitis. The mean duration of alopecia was 2 to 3 months and al opecia was reversible in all patients.