Case Study of Pregnant Patient Diagnosed and Treated for Disseminated Lyme Disease

Bethany Cucka, BS, et al., published “Spotting the target: clinical clues in the diagnosis of disseminated Lyme disease in pregnancy” in American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology on March 18, 2022. The study illustrates the patient case of a 33-year-old woman who was pregnant with her second child and, at 33 weeks’ gestation, presented with ten days of bifrontal headache despite treatment, two days of pruritic body rash, and mild transaminitis.

Initially, it was believed that the rash was due to a drug-induced hypersensitivity reaction. However, it was discovered that she also had a generalized morbilliform eruption, an annular erythematous patch, and analogous annular lesions on her body. These findings produced suspicion of disseminated Lyme disease, including neurologic implications.

The patient underwent Lyme disease serum tests which were positive. A lumbar puncture showed a high red blood cell count and nucleated cells in the cerebrospinal fluid – consistent with neurologic impacts of Lyme disease. After two weeks of intravenous ceftriaxone, she recovered. At 40 weeks’ gestation, she delivered a healthy baby boy.

For More Information:

Read the full study in American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology.

Read more about Lyme & Pregnancy on the LDA website.