A non-traumatic, blue-purple auricle: case report

Borrelial lymphocytoma

Borrelial lymphocytoma is a rare cutaneous manifestation of early localized European Lyme borreliosis. It manifests as a nodule or plaque with a diameter of up to a few centimeters. The lesion is, as a rule, solitary. It is more common in children than in adults and, in contrast to erythema migrans and acrodermatitis chronica atrophicans, has male predominance. A tick bite has been reported in approximately one half of patients; the tick bite is usually at the site or in the vicinity of the later borrelial lymphocytoma. The predilection site for the development of lesions is the breast in adults and the ear lobe in children. Borrelial lymphocytoma is frequently associated with erythema migrans, but rarely with other manifestations of Lyme borreliosis, and is predominantly caused by Borrelia afzelii. At presentation, approximately half of the patients with borrelial lymphocytoma have measurable serum borrelial antibodies and, in about one third, spirochetes can be cultivated from the skin lesion. A 14-day antibiotic therapy, as recommended for patients with erythema migrans, is highly successful. Posttreatment duration of a borrelial lymphocytoma is positively associated with the pretreatment duration of the lesion and with patient age, while treatment failure is associated with the clinical signs of disseminated Lyme borreliosis at presentation. Substantial improvements in knowledge on borrelial lymphocytoma and laboratory diagnostics in recent decades have contributed to earlier diagnosis and treatment. Consequently, borrelial lymphocytoma is usually a mild disease with a good prognosis.

Borrelial Lymphocytoma in Adult Patients

BACKGROUND

Information on the course and outcome of borrelial lymphocytoma (BL) is limited.

METHODS

The study comprised 144 adult patients (75 female, 69 male; median age, 49 years) who had BL diagnosed at a single center between 1986 and 2014 and were followed up for 1 year.

RESULTS

BL was located on the breast in 106 patients (73.6%), on the ear lobe in 27 (18.8%), and elsewhere in 11 (7.6%). The median duration of BL before diagnosis was 27 days (interquartile range [IQR], 9-68 days). Concomitant erythema migrans was registered in 104 of 144 patients (72.2%); other objective manifestations of Lyme borreliosis (LB) were present in 11 (7.6%). Immunoglobulin M and/or G borrelial serum antibodies were present in 72 patients (50%). Borreliae were isolated from BL lesions in 14 of 42 patients (33.3%) who had not received antibiotics before skin biopsy. Of 13 typed Borrelia strains, 11 were B. afzelii, 1 was B. garinii, and 1 was B. bissettii The median duration of BL after starting antibiotic treatment was 21 days ([IQR], 10-30 days); the average duration was longer in patients who were older, had longer BL duration before treatment, or had signs of disseminated LB. Treatment failure occurred in 14 of 144 patients (9.7%). Patients with signs or symptoms of disseminated LB before treatment had nearly 4 times higher odds of treatment failure (95% confidence interval, 1.22-13.07) than those without such symptoms. All patients with treatment failure had uneventful outcome after retreatment.

CONCLUSIONS

BL is a rare manifestation of early localized LB. Fourteen-day antibiotic treatment, as used for erythema migrans, is effective.

Ear presentation of Lyme borreliosis in a child

OBJECTIVE

This case report aims to raise awareness amongst clinicians of ear presentation of cutaneous borrelia.

CASE REPORT

We report a recent case of borrelia lymphocytoma cutis benigna in a child presenting with unilateral earlobe swelling, who was otherwise well. A review of the English language literature, including management of the disease, is also presented.

CONCLUSION

This case highlights the fact that borrelia lymphocytoma should be included in the differential diagnosis of a persistent, unilateral, inflamed, swollen earlobe in an otherwise healthy child.