Full Text: Pleural Effusion as a Manifestation of Lyme Disease

Pleural Effusion as a Manifestation of Lyme Disease

HSIANG-CHENG CHEN, CHIEN-MING SHIH, JENN-HAUNG LAI, LI-LIAN CHAO, SAN-YUAN KUO, and DEH-MING CHANG

ABSTRACT.

We describe a 37-year-old woman who presented with bilateral pleural effusion combined with intermittent low grade fever. Lyme disease was confirmed by seroreactivities against Borrelia burgdorferi spirochetes. The unique clinical findings reveal a rare manifestation with a possible association between B. burgdorferi infection and pleural effusion. (J Rheumatol 2004;31:811-3)

Key Indexing Terms:

ERYTHEMA MIGRANS
LYME DISEASE
PULMONARY
PLEURAL EFFUSIONS

From the Division of Rheumatology-Immunology-Allergy, Department of Internal Medicine, Tri-Service General Hospital; and Department of Parasitology and Tropical Medicine, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan, Republic of China.

H-C. Chen, MD; J-H. Lai, MD, PhD; S-Y. Kuo, MD; D-M. Chang, MD, Division of Rheumatology-Immunology-Allergy, Department of Internal Medicine, Tri-Service General Hospital; C-M. Shih, PhD; L-L. Chao, MS, Department of Parasitology and Tropical Medicine, National Defense Medical Center.

Address reprint requests to Dr. D-M. Chang, Division of Rheumatology-Immunology-Allergy, Department of Medicine, Tri-Service General Hospital, 325, Section 2, Cheng-Kung Road, Neihu 114, Taipei, Taiwan. E-mail: ming0503@ms3.hinet.net

Submitted March 27, 2003; revision accepted October 27, 2003.