Vishal Chavda
1
and Snehal Patel
1,*
1
Department of Pharmacology, Institute of Pharmacy, Nirma University, Ahmadabad 382481, Gujarat, India
Abstract: Lyme’s Disease (LD) is a severe, rapidly growing, broad spectrum chronic infec-
tion caused by the bacterium ‘Borrelia (B.) burgdorferi', which can be easily transmitted
through the bite of certain species of ticks. The prevalence of LD is swiftly mounting in the
present scenario in many countries from species to species. Although Lyme’s infection is
now detectable via serologic examination of early and late Lyme neuroborreliosis (LNB), the
management of persistent symptoms is still fraught with quora of doubt and debate. LD is a
multisystem spirochete which results after the dissemination of B. burgdorferi from a dermal
inoculation site after a tick bite. Lyme's infection can easily get transmitted to the central
nervous system and develop various neurological symptoms due to inflammation and an
autoimmune response from body may lead to life-threatening “Lyme Borreliosis”. The neu-
rological symptoms are well mixed in presentation, late and confusing to get differentiated
easily from other diseases. The use of antibiotics in post Lyme infection with neurological
complications is still a topic of debate. Babesiosisstates, and human ehrlichiosis' the two
other diseases, are associated with the same ticks that spread the LD. However, the preva-
lence of diagnosed human cases is usually much lower than that of actual cases of LD due to
misdiagnosis, late diagnosis or undiagnosis at y such lateral neuroinfection stage after the
tick bite. The current review focuses on the molecular neuropathology and current advance-
ments in LD. There are very few patents or discoveries made on borrelia infection, drawing
attention towards more focused and targeted research for the cure.
A R T I C L E H I S T O R Y
Received: February 6, 2018
Revised: February 28, 2019
Accepted: March 18, 2019
DOI:
10.2174/1574891X14666190327114641
Keywords: Lyme neuroborreliosis (LNB), B. burgdorferi, neuro-inflammation, tick-borne disease, lyme
disease vaccine, current therapeutics, mystifying disease.
1. INTRODUCTION
1.1. The Invasive Epidemiology of Lyme Dis-
ease and the Progression of Neuroborreliosis
Lyme’s Disease (LD) can affect people without
the barrier of age. LD is an infection caused by
bacteria called ‘Borrelia burgdorferi’ that belong
to a family of bacteria ‘spirochetes’ the term was
first coined by the German Physician Alfred
Buchwald from Europe in 1883. In 1912, the
*Address Correspondence to this Author at the Department of
Pharmacology, Institute of Pharmacy, Nirma University, Ahmeda-
bad-382481, Gujrat, India; Tel: +91 9099937466;
E-mail: Snehalpharma53@gmail.com
Swedish dermatologist Arvid Afzelius explained
an erythema chronic migrans which is currently
known as Erythema Migrans (EM). In the year of
1912, Garin and Bujadoux reported a case of me-
ningoencephalitis with chronic painful sensory
radiculitis and EM which were followed by the
tick bite attributed to a spirochetal infection. In the
mid-era of 1930s, many Ixodes ticks, which were
previously known as deer ticks, were found to be
associated with neurological complications like
meningoencephalitis. By the progression of the
1940s, most of the cases with a tick bite and neu-
rological complications considered as the tick-
borne disease. Bannwarth showed several cases of
2212-4071/19 $58.00+.00 © 2019 Bentham Science Publishers
Send Orders for Reprints to reprints@benthamscience.net
Recent Patents on Anti-Infective Drug Discovery, 2019, 14, 49-68
49
REVIEW ARTICLE
Lyme Neuroborreliosis - The Mystifying Pitfall: “Neuropathology and
Current Therapeutics”
Recent Patents on Anti-Infective Drug Discovery