Lyme borreliosis: investigation to identify cutaneous features among patients who attend the Rio de Janeiro University Hospital / Investigaçöes para identificar manifestaçöes cutâneas em pacientes que såo atendidos no Hospital Universitário do Rio de Janeiro

RESUMO

Background: Lyme borreliosis (LB) is a systemic disease with dermatological manifestations. We investigated the prevalence of this disease in patients at the Hospital of the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro. Material and methods: A series of 204 suspected patients with clinical symptoms and epidemiological data affirmative for the disease were investigated for LB with serology, histopathology and immunohistochemistry associated. Results: In this group of suspected LB patients, serological positivity with IFABb was 33,50 per cent while it was 29,41 per cent among controls. Positivity with ElisaBb was 35,48 per cent. The "G" statistic test was >0,5. We observed the following clinical manifestations 33 annular erythemas; 2 benign lymphocytic infiltration of the skin; 3 lymphocytoma cutis; 1 urticaria; 9 morphea; 1 systemic progressive sclerosis; 3 lichen sclerosus et atrophicus; 1 eosniphilic fasciitis; 1 edema; 1 purpuric and pigmented dermatitis; 5 arthralgias; 1 polineuropathy; 3 neuralgias and 1 AV heart block. Histopathological and immunohistochemical examinationsdid not identify the etiological agent Bb in any case. Conclusion: 1 - Cutaneous manifestations were the predominating clinical symptons among suspected patients Lb; 2 - The serological test (IFABb) utilized did not help Lyme disease diagnosis. Our controls are above the percentage in endemic areas, and Rio de Janeiro may be one such area; 3 - Serological tests for syphilis should be done at the same time as the serological antiBb test to detect false positive readings