Lyme disease in children

Abstract

Lyme disease is an increasing health risk for children. Pediatricians should become familiar with the different clinical syndromes caused by the Borrelia burgdorferi. Appropriate antibiotic therapy must be initiated and follow-up of these children should be a part of the management as some may develop (tertiary) chronic borreliosis. Lyme disease should be considered in the diagnostic work-up of heart block, childhood arthritis and in undiagnosed peripheral and central nervous system disease. Serologic tests appear to be quite specific and sensitive in children with late stage disease in our experience. Newer diagnostic tests to detect infection during the early stage will optimize the management of Lyme disease and further decrease the incidence of long-term sequelae.