[A case of lyme disease requiring over 1 year to diagnose at an infectious-disease clinic].

Abstract

A 42-year-old woman presenting with years of fever and vague symptoms could not be satisfactorily diagnosed in physical examination or conventional workups. She was presumptively diagnosed with chronic fatigue syndrome and treated symptomatically. Fourteen months after the initial visit, she developed left facial palsy. Lyme disease serology was positive. Four weeks of oral amoxicillin ameliorated symptoms. Only 5 to 15 cases of Lyme disease are reported annually in Japan, mostly from the northeastern-most island of Hokkaido. It may occur anywhere in Japan, however; probably is underdiagnosed. Lyme disease may cause fevers of unknown origin. Astute clinical suspicion and appropriate workups are thus needed to diagnose this infection.