ZURICH Borrelia burgdorferi infection is unlikely to play a role in the pathogenesis of male genital lichen sclerosis, Dr. Emma V. Edmonds said at the annual meeting of the European Society for Dermatological Research.
Since the skin manifestations of Lyme disease and lichen sclerosis share histologic and clinical similarities, some investigators have argued that the spirochete B. burgdorferi is implicated in male lichen sclerosis and have recommended oral antibiotics for affected individuals, said Dr. Edmonds of Chelsea and Westminster Hospital, London.
To determine whether there is serologic evidence of a B. burgdorferi/lichen sclerosis connection, she and her coinvestigators analyzed sera from 30 patients with biopsy-proven male genital lichen sclerosis and 32 male age-matched controls.
All 62 subjects proved negative for B. burgdorferi by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). On IgG Western immunoblot, one control subject was positive and three were equivocal, as were five patients with genital lichen sclerosis. The other 53 participants were negative for B. burgdorferi by Western immunoblot.
Since there is no role for antibiotics, treatment for male genital lichen sclerosis remains potent topical corticosteroids or circumcision. There can be sexual dysfunction, and transformation to squamous cell carcinoma also can occur.