Detection of Borrelia burgdorferi DNA (B garinii or B afzelii) in morphea and lichen sclerosus et atrophicus tissues of German and Japanese but not of US patients.

OBJECTIVE

To elucidate the geographic and genospecific association of Borrelia with morphea and lichen sclerosus et atrophicus (LSA).

DESIGN

The association of Borrelia burgdorferi with morphea and LSA has been reported, but is still controversial. We conducted a retrospective survey of Borrelia DNA in skin biopsy specimens.

SETTINGS: The samples were collected from the outpatient clinic of university hospitals and a dermatopathology laboratory.

PATIENTS: Skin biopsy specimens (19 morphea and 34 LSA) were obtained from patients in the United States, Japan, and Germany. DNA samples were subjected to amplification with polymerase chain reaction for B burgdorferi flagellin gene, and for the genotype-specific detection of B burgdorferi sensu stricto, Borrelia garinii, and Borrelia afzelii.

RESULTS

Five cases of morphea and 2 cases of LSA in Germany and Japan yielded positive signals for B garinii or B afzelii, the European species. None of the American samples were positive for Borrelia polymerase chain reaction. Borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto was not detected in any of the specimens.

CONCLUSION

Morphea and LSA in Germany and Japan can be related with European genotypes of Borrelia.