NYMC Faculty Publications

An Unusual Case of Serologically Confirmed Post-Partum Lyme Disease Following an Asymptomatic Borrelia Burgdorferi Infection Acquired During Pregnancy and Lacking Vertical Transmission in Utero

Author Type(s)

Faculty

DOI

10.3390/pathogens13030186

Journal Title

Pathogens

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

3-1-2024

Department

Medicine

Keywords

arthritis, Borrelia burgdorferi, congenital transmission, Lyme disease, pregnancy, Western blot

Disciplines

Medicine and Health Sciences

Abstract

In this report, we describe a 23-year-old female who, while pregnant, was exposed to Borrelia burgdorferi but did not develop significant signs or symptoms (joint pain, arthritis) of Lyme disease until shortly after delivering a healthy child at term. Serologic testing confirmed infection with B. burgdorferi. A 3-week course of treatment with doxycycline was completely curative. There was no evidence for congenital or perinatal transmission of this pathogen at any point pre-term or postnatally. The key reasons that could account for this unique clinical scenario are discussed in the context of previously published related reports.

Share

COinS