European Journal of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences

A NEW COMPLICATION OF LYME DISEASE; SPINAL MUSCULAR ATROPHY (SMA)

Barbaros CETIN*

ABSTRACT

Lyme borreliosis is well known multisystem disease and can produce a wide array of neurological abnormalities in humans. It can effect both the central and peripheral nervous system. Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) a leading genetic cause of infant death, is a neurodegenerative disease characterised by the selective loss of particular groups of motor neurones in the anterior horn of the spinal cord with concomitant muscle weakness. Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is also a neuromuscular disease caused by abnormally low cellular levels of the ubiquitous protein SMN. Recent study finds connection between ALS and SMA. Respiratory failure due to bilateral diaphragm palsy as an early manifestation of ALS. Diaphragmatic paralysis and respiratory failure as a complication of Lyme disease. Lyme –associated diaphragm weakness from phrenic nerve palsy is rare. One of the rarest manifestations of phrenic nerve disorder is neuroborreliosis. I report two cases. 1-When she was 2 months baby, she had diagnosed with SMA. After three years, her LTT-Borrelia test result is positive. CD57+/CD3-(NK cells) % 0.48, (20 mm3), very low. C3 Compleman test result is low. Her mother’s (38 years old), LTT-Borrelia test result also positive. It is documented that transplacental transmission of the spirochete from mother to fetus is possible. 2- 13 years old son. He had diagnosed Emery-Dreifuss muscular dystrophy (EDMD),when he was 6 years old. He had, LTT-Borrelia positive test result, after 5 years. His father lyme test result was positive, when he was 57 years old. Eventually, these results reveal the need for consideration of Lyme borreliyosis in patients diagnosed with SMA for the first time. People who are diagnosed with SMA, DMD, ALS and similar neurodegenerative diseases have a great benefit in performing Lyme tests.

Keywords: Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA), Lyme borreliosis, Turkey.