Meningoradiculitis after tick bites. Apropos of 9 cases
Lefevre, J.P.; Pouget-Abadie, J.F.; Bontoux, D.; Sudre, Y.; Gil, R.
La Semaine des Hopitaux Organe Fonde Par l'Association d'Enseignement Medical des Hopitaux de Paris 52(11): 687-694
1976
ISSN/ISBN: 0037-1777 PMID: 188148 Document Number: 100000
The authors report a series of 9 cases of meningoradiculitis after tick bites and compare them with 56 other cases in the literature. Clinically, the bite is followed by a free interval, then more or less extensive local erythema, pain then paralysis is undoubtedly the most typical presentation. Uni- or bilateral paralysis of the 7th cranial nerve was found in more than 50% of cases. Erythema may exceptionally be absent. There may be forms with pain alone. Finally, there may sometimes be pyramidal signs or signs of brain irritation. As concerns the course, one should note the absence of respiratory complications, and although there are usually no or minimal sequelae, one should note the slowness of the recovery in certain paralytic cases. In the laboratory, pleocytosis is constantly found in the C.S.F. As concerns physiopathology, there are 3 theories, virus, allergic and toxic.