Complement split products C3a and C4a are early markers of acute lyme disease in tick bite patients in the United States
Abstract
Background: Current laboratory markers do not readily detect acute Lyme disease. We assessed the utility of complement and its split products as markers of Lyme disease in patients shortly after a tick bite. Methods: Thirty-one consecutive acute Lyme disease patients, 14 with and 17 without erythema migrans (EM) skin rash, seen by a physician within 96 h of a tick bite were matched with 24 consecutive tick bite patients without Lyme disease symptoms and 46 healthy control subjects. Complement and split products measured included factor B, Bb, C4, C3c, C3ades Arg, C4ades Arg, C1q- and C3d-containing immune complexes, and C2. Results: C2, C4, C3 and factor B levels were within normal ranges in all groups. C3a and C4a levels were significantly higher in acute Lyme disease patients than in tick bite and healthy control groups (both p Conclusions: These findings suggest that C3a and C4a may be useful markers of Lyme disease in patients seen shortly after tick bite, even in those without EM.
Key Biomarkers
Symptom Clusters
Cited By (2)
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- Transcriptomic signatures in whole blood of patients who acquire a chronic inflammatory response syndrome (CIRS) following an exposure to the marine toxin ciguatoxinBMC Medical Genomics · 2015
References (12)
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- Temporal Analysis of the Antigenic Composition of Borrelia burgdorferi during Infection in Rabbit SkinInfection and Immunity · 2004
- Borrelia burgdorferi–Specific Immune Complexes in Acute Lyme DiseaseJAMA · 1999
- Does This Patient Have Erythema Migrans?JAMA · 2007
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