Infection with multiple strains of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto in patients with Lyme disease
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To assess human skin biopsy specimens from erythema migrans lesions for the presence of infection with multiple strains of the Lyme disease spirochete, Borrelia burgdorferi. DESIGN: Skin biopsy specimens were obtained prospectively from patients with erythema migrans. To determine allelic differences and strain identification of B burgdorferi, the biopsy specimens were analyzed by cold single-strand conformation polymorphism of an amplified fragment of the outer surface protein C (ospC) gene. Further single-strand conformation polymorphism patterns of amplified ospC genes from culture isolates were compared with polymerase chain reaction products obtained directly from erythema migrans biopsy specimens. SETTING: A private dermatology office and a university medical center outpatient department. PATIENTS: Sixteen patients presenting with erythema migrans. RESULTS: Two of the 16 patients in this cohort were infected with 2 B burgdorferi sensu stricto strains, as evidenced by 2 ospC alleles in their skin biopsy results. CONCLUSION: This is the first documented description of the existence of more than a single strain of B burgdorferi sensu stricto in a human specimen.
Key Biomarkers
Symptom Clusters
Cited By (3)
- Borrelia burgdorferi Genetic Markers and Disseminated Disease in Patients with Early Lyme DiseaseJournal of Clinical Microbiology · 2006
- Four Clones of Borrelia burgdorferi Sensu Stricto Cause Invasive Infection in HumansInfection and Immunity · 1999
- Borrelia burgdorferi ospC Heterogeneity among Human and Murine Isolates from a Defined Region of Northern Maryland and Southern Pennsylvania: Lack of Correlation with Invasive and Noninvasive GenotypesJournal of Clinical Microbiology · 2005
References (6)
- Recombinant immunoblot in the serodiagnosis of Lyme borreliosisMedical Microbiology and Immunology · 1993
- Different genospecies of Borrelia burgdorferi are associated with distinct clinical manifestations of Lyme borreliosisClinical Infectious Diseases · 1993
- Four Clones of Borrelia burgdorferi Sensu Stricto Cause Invasive Infection in HumansInfection and Immunity · 1999
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