Pseudotumor cerebri caused by Lyme borreliosis

Lyme borreliosis may cause a wide range of clinical symptoms. The two previously described paediatric cases of Lyme borreliosis with symptoms of pseudotumor cerebri were associated with characteristic cutaneous symptoms. A case of seven year-old girl with six weeks of headache, vomiting nausea and fatigue as the only symptoms was shown to suffer from pseudotumor cerebri with papilloedema and increased intracranial pressure caused Borrelia burgdorferi. Specific treatment with intravenous penicillin and later intravenous ceftriaxone (due to development of penicillin allergy) for a total of ten days caused the symptoms to gradually disappear over following three to four weeks. Hence, even if pseudotumor cerebri is the only symptom, it is recommended that testing for Lyme borreliosis should be carried out.