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: J Craniomaxillofac Surg. 2007 Nov 16;

Borrelia burgdorferi - A potentially aetiological factor in TMJ disorders?

Preliminary report.Wanyura H, Wagner T, Samolczyk-Wanyura D.Department of
Cranio-Maxillofacial Surgery and Centre of TMJ Arthroscopy (Head: Prof. Hubert
Wanyura), Medical University of Warsaw, Poland.

INTRODUCTION: The available literature does not report on infectious factors
potentially triggering intra-articular pathology or dysfunction manifest as
temporomandibular (TMJ) disorders.


AIM OF THE STUDY: To establish the presence of Borrelia burgdorferi
spirochaetes in the histopathological material obtained from the
intra-articular space by arthroscopy from patients with advanced TMJ disorders.


SUBJECTS AND METHODS: The histopathological material was obtained
intra-articularly from 31 patients by means of arthroscopy; apart from routine
H+E staining, the material was additionally examined for the presence of
micro-organisms (spirochaetes) by the Warthin-Starry method.


RESULTS: Seven out of 31 patients presenting with manifesting TMJ dysfunction
had spirochaetes detected in the histopathological material; their shape and
size resembling B. burgdorferi bacteria.


CONCLUSION: This paper is the first to indicate that in borreliosis the
infective agent may localize itself to the temporomandibular joint.

This observation cannot be ignored when analyzing the pathogenesis of TMJ
degeneration especially that tick-borne infections with spirochaetes are
definitely more common than it is generally believed.

PMID: 1802319