Infection associated effluvium

Infectious agents can promote a telogen effluvium tpye hair loss. How this occurs is not known, but most likely the effluvium is due to the general reduction in health that is associated with chronic diseases. As the body becomes depelted of nutrients and changes in hormone patterns may occur, so the hair follicles find themselves in an unhealthy environment. They may reduce their hair growth activity or shut down all together and wait until their environment improves. Successful treatment of the infection and removal of the chronic immune stimulus allows the body to recover at which time hair regrowth should occur.

Infection associated effluvium references

• Cimperman J, Maraspin V, Lotric-Furlan S, Ruzic-Sabljic E, Avsic-Zupanc T, Strle F. Diffuse reversible alopecia in patients with Lyme meningitis and tick-borne encephalitis. Wien Klin Wochenschr. 1999 Dec 10;111(22-23):976-7.
• Hercogova J, Brzonova I. Lyme disease in central Europe. Curr Opin Infect Dis. 2001 Apr;14(2):133-7.
• Schwarzenbach R, Djawari D. [Pseudopelade Brocq--possible sequela of stage III borrelia infection?] Hautarzt. 1998 Nov;49(11):835-7.
• Spach DH, Shimada JK, Paauw DS. Localized alopecia at the site of erythema migrans. J Am Acad Dermatol. 1992 Dec;27(6 Pt 1):1023-4.