Pharmacological Aspects of Lyme Borreliosis

Overview

Clinical signs of Lyme boreliosis in humans are versatile and in their whole scope they finally affectthe nervous system, heart, and joints. The therapeutic effect of antibiotics is maximal in the firstacute stage of the disease when doxycycline and amoxiciline are administered. These antibioticspossess a comparable in vitro effect, tissue penetration, pharmacokinetics, and therapeutic effect.The treatment of disseminated infections in the second stage, such as neuroborreliosis, carditis, andiritis, is difficult and with relative success they are treated with large doses of penicillin G, orcefriaxon, and doxycycline. The treatment of the third stage of borreliosis aims at chronic inflammatorychanges in the affected organs. Antibiotics, however, are successfully effective only in 50 %of cases. Administration of antibiotics, such as tetracycline, cefuroxim, doxycycline, or large doses ofpenicillin is a long-term one, coming up to four weeks. A special therapeutic regimen is used inpregnant women and children.

Key words:
Lyme boreliosis – pharmacotherapy – antibiotics