Endometriosis-associated Lyme

Abstract

The aim of this study is to report three cases of patients with endometriosis and infertility, and associated with Lyme disease. The medical files of 405 women with endometriosis and 200 without endometriosis were studied retrospectively. We report 3 cases with endometriosis and Lyme disease. Of 405 patients with endometriosis treated in our study over a 6-year period, 3(0.8%) had Lyme disease. All cases presented with typical erythema migraines, fever and fatigue. The serological findings were positive for Borrelia burgdorferi, for 3 cases. Two out of 3 women underwent IVF-ET procedures and one of them conceived in the first cycle without complication during pregnancy or after childbirth recorded.

We concluded that women with endometriosis are more likely to have chronic fatigue syndrome, systemic lupus erythematous, Sjögren's syndrome, rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis, and other autoimmune inflammatory and endocrine diseases. A review of the literature confirms the uniqueness of the co-existence of Lyme disease in women with endometriosis in these cases.

Keywords:

• Endometriosis
• Lyme disease
• infertility
• erythema migrans
• Borrelia burgdorferi