Detection of Borrelia DNA in the Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato complex in the blood of patients with Ixodes tick-borne borrelios

摘要

Borrelia DNA was detected by polymerase chain reaction in the blood of patients who had suffered from tick suction. DNA was revealed in 28.7 of the blood samples from patients with the erythematous form of Ixodes tick-born borrelioses (ITBB) and in 14.3% of those diagnosed as having tick-borne encephalitis. Blood Borrelia DNA was not detected in patients with end-stage and chronic ITBB. Comparing the results of detection of DNA with those Borrelia protein antibodies has shown that the antibody titers detectable in the patients having Borrelia DNA are lower than those in the patients with the same form of ITBB and without DNA. The detection of DNA should be accomplished in the first 4 weeks after tick bite.