Scored Antibody Reactivity Determined by Immunoblotting Shows an Association between Clinical Manifestations and Presence ofBorrelia burgdorferisensu stricto,B. garinii,B. afzelii, andB. Valaisianain Humans

Abstract

An immunoglobulin G immunoblot was developed with antigenic extracts of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto,B. garinii, B. afzelii, and B. valaisiana genospecies and was reacted with sera from patients with neuroborreliosis, acrodermatitis, and Lyme arthritis. A detailed analysis of the reactivities of the protein bands was performed, and a two-step scoring procedure was selected to determine the preferential reactivity of sera to one particular genospecies. The discriminative potential of 5 proteins (12-kDa, 16-kDa, 18-kDa, OspA, and 66-kDa proteins) was used as a rapid first-step scoring method, followed by scoring of 14 additional protein bands if necessary. The advantage of this procedure is the low percentage of serum samples with inconclusive results for one of the four species (10% for patients with neuroborreliosis, 6% for patients with acrodermatitis chronica atrophicans, and 6% for patients with Lyme arthritis). Among 31 serum samples from patients with neuroborreliosis, 16 were more reactive toB. garinii, 7 were more reactive to B. afzelii, 3 were more reactive to B. valaisiana, and 2 were more reactive to B. burgdorferi sensu stricto. Of 31 serum samples from patients with acrodermatitis, 26 showed a higher level of reactivity to B. afzelii. Of 34 serum samples from patients with Lyme arthritis, 21 were more reactive to B. burgdorferi sensu stricto, 10 were more reactive to B. afzelii, and 1 was more reactive to B. valaisiana. Our results suggest an organotropism of Borrelia species and provide some evidence of a pathogenic potential of B. valaisiana in humans.

Routine diagnosis of Borrelia burgdorferi (sensu lato) infections using a real-time PCR assay

“…In addition, 11 Borrelia valaisiana isolates were also detected with the same sensitivity. This observation is of particular interest, because Borrelia valaisiana (group VS116) has previously been detected in skin biopsies of patients with EM [1], and the possible involvement of Borrelia valaisiana has recently been suggested for patients presenting with chronic clinical manifestations [2]. The ability of our test to detect Borrelia valaisiana may therefore aid in the investigation of the clinical role of this novel species.…”

“…A fourth species, Borrelia valaisiana (group VS116), is still under consideration in this regard. Borrelia valaisiana has so far been associated with skin manifestations [1] and possibly with neurologic symptoms [2].…”

Molecular detection ofBorrelia bissettiiDNA in serum samples from patients in the Czech Republic with suspected borreliosis

“…However, the presence of B. valaisiana, B. lusitaniae, B. spielmanii and B. bissettii has been confirmed in some samples of human origin (Picken et al, 1996;Rijpkema et al, 1997;Strle et al, 1997;Ryffel et al, 1999;Wang et al, 1999;Collares-Pereira et al, 2004;Rudenko et al, 2008). The pathogenic potential of B. valaisiana was suspected among patients with Erythema migrans (EM) based on PCR (Rijpkema et al, 1997).…”

“…The pathogenic potential of B. valaisiana was suspected among patients with Erythema migrans (EM) based on PCR (Rijpkema et al, 1997). The association of B. valaisiana with chronic clinical symptoms was also shown (Ryffel et al, 1999). Molecular analysis of spirochete isolates identified as B. lusitaniae from a Portuguese patient suggests a clinical pattern for B. lusitaniae different from the other Borrelia spp.…”

Genotyping ofBorreliafrom formalin‐fixed paraffin‐embedded skin biopsies of cutaneous borreliosis and tick bite reactions by assays targeting the intergenic spacer region,ospAandospCgenes

“…The differentiation of B. burgdorferi sl strains seems to have clinical relevance. Studies have shown an association of ACA with B. afzelii , while neuroborreliosis was associated with B. garinii, and arthritis mainly with B. burgdorferi ss …”