[The polymerase chain reaction evaluation of Borrelia burgdorferi DNA presence in peripheral blood of patients with Lyme disease].

UNLABELLED: The purpose of this work was to evaluate Borrelia burgdorferi presence in peripheral blood of patients with Lyme disease using PCR method. The study was conducted on 96 patients divided into 4 groups depending on clinical form of the disease.

MATERIAL AND

METHODS

There were 9 patients with erythema migrans, 11 with neuroborreliosis, 36 with Lyme arthritis, 18 with disseminated form of borreliosis and 22 patients whose initial suspicion of Lyme disease was excluded. The diagnosis was based on clinical examination and results of serologic test performed using ELISA method showing serum presence of antibodies anti-borrelia IgM and IgG.

RESULTS

The results of PCR examination were analysed depending on clinical form of the disease and result of serologic test. The highest rate of positive results in PCR examination was stated in group of patients showing serum presence of IgM anti-borrelia antibodies (34.48%) and in patients with diagnosed Lyme arthritis (38.88%). The lowest rate of positive PCR results (16.66%) was stated in group of patients with negative serologic test.

CONCLUSIONS

The probability of Borrelia burgdorferi DNA blood presence was highest (76.0%) in patients with positive serologic test IgM anti-borrelia antibodies and diagnosed Lyme arthritis.