Identification of Three Species of Borrelia burgdorferi Sensu Lato (B. burgdorferi Sensu Stricto, B. garinii, and B. afzelii) Among Isolates from Acrodermatitis Chronica Atrophicans Lesions
Abstract
In Europe, at least three species of Borrelia are known to be causative agents of Lyme borreliosis: B. burgdorferi sensu stricto, B. garinii, and B. afzelii. Observable differences in the molecular characteristics of the three species have led to speculation that they may also differ in their pathogenic potential and/or tissue tropisms. Several studies have found an association between the chronic skin manifestation of Lyme borreliosis, acrodermatitis chronica atrophicans, and infection by B. afzelii. We sought to find further evidence for such a correlation by studying the genetic profiles of 22 strains of B. burgdorferi sensu lato derived from 21 patients who presented to the University Medical Center, Ljubljana, Slovenia between 1992 and 1995. Strains were isolated in culture from skin biopsies of acrodermatitis chronica atrophicans lesions; in the case of one patient two separate acrodermatitis chronica atrophicans lesions were cultured. All 21 patients had clinically typical lesions with "classic" histopathology and high IgG antibody titers to B. burgdorferi sensu lato. Strains were characterized and typed by 16S ribosomal RNA-specific polymerase chain reaction and determination of their large restriction fragment patterns using pulsed-field gel electrophoresis of MluI-digested genomic DNA. Of the 22 isolates studied, 17 possessed the highly conserved MLa1 pattern characteristic of B. afzelii. The remaining five isolates possessed large restriction fragment patterns that were typical of B. garinii (MLg2, four isolates from three patients) and B. burgdorferi sensu stricto (MLb2, one isolate). The results of 16S ribosomal RNA-specific polymerase chain reaction were concordant with these species designations. These data show that B. afzelii is the predominant, but not the exclusive, etiologic agent of acrodermatitis chronica atrophicans.
Cited By (3)
- Chemokine Signatures in the Skin Disorders of Lyme Borreliosis in Europe: Predominance of CXCL9 and CXCL10 in Erythema Migrans and Acrodermatitis and CXCL13 in LymphocytomaInfection and Immunity · 2007
- Infection with multiple strains of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto in patients with Lyme diseaseArchives of Dermatology · 1999
- Four Clones of Borrelia burgdorferi Sensu Stricto Cause Invasive Infection in HumansInfection and Immunity · 1999
References (3)
- Different genospecies of Borrelia burgdorferi are associated with distinct clinical manifestations of Lyme borreliosisClinical Infectious Diseases · 1993
- Association between different clinical manifestations of Lyme disease and different species of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu latoResearch in Microbiology · 1995
- Early and Late Cutaneous Manifestations in Ixodes‐borne Borreliosis (Erythema Migrans Borreliosis, Lyme Borreliosis)aAnnals of the New York Academy of Sciences · 1988
Related Papers
- Molecular and serological diagnosis of Borrelia burgdorferi infection among patients with diagnosed Erythema migransPubMed · 2007 · 4 shared tags
- Chemokine Signatures in the Skin Disorders of Lyme Borreliosis in Europe: Predominance of CXCL9 and CXCL10 in Erythema Migrans and Acrodermatitis and CXCL13 in LymphocytomaInfection and Immunity · 2007 · 4 shared tags
- Borrelia burgdorferiLipoprotein–Mediated TLR2 Stimulation Causes the Down‐Regulation of TLR5 in Human MonocytesThe Journal of Infectious Diseases · 2006 · 4 shared tags
- Ackermann R, Gollmer E, Rehse-Kupper B. Progressive Borrelien-Enzephalomyelitis. Chronische Manifestation der Erythema-migrans Krankheit am Nervensystem. Dtsh. Med. Wochenschr.110(26)(1985)1039-1042. Preac-Mursic V, Weber K, Pfister HW, Wilske B, Gross B, Baumann A, Prokop J. Survival of Borrelia burgdorferi in Antibiotically Treated Patients with Lyme borreliosis. Infection 1989;17:355-359. Liegner KB, Shapiro JR, Ramsay D, Halperin AJ, Hogrefe W, Kong L. Recurrent erythema migrans despite extended antibiotic treatment with minocycline in a patient with persisting Borrelia burgdorferi infection. J Amer Acad Derm 1993;28:312-4. Lawrence C, Lipton RB, Lowy FD, Coyle PK. Seronegative Chronic Relapsing Neuroborreliosis. Eur Neurol 1995;35:113-Chronic progressive neurological involvement in Borrelia burgdorferi infection. J Neurology · 1987 · 4 shared tags
- Early and Late Cutaneous Manifestations in Ixodes‐borne Borreliosis (Erythema Migrans Borreliosis, Lyme Borreliosis)a