Comparison of detection of Borrelia burgdorferi DNA and anti-Borrelia burgdorferi antibodies in patients with erythema migrans in north-eastern Poland

INTRODUCTION Diagnostic methods in erythema migrans are still not standardized. AIM To evaluate the frequency of Borrelia burgdorferi s.l. DNA presence in patients with erythema migrans (EM); to assess the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) procedure for detecting B. burgdorferi s.l. DNA in patients with the skin form of Lyme borreliosis; and to compare the results of the PCR-based method with the traditional ELISA method. MATERIAL AND METHODS Skin biopsy and blood samples from 93 patients with EM were examined for B. burgdorferi s.l. DNA detection (PCR). Seventy-one of these patients were examined for the presence of anti-B. burgdorferi s.l. antibodies (ELISA). RESULTS Borrelia burgdorferi s.l. DNA was detected in 48% of the skin biopsy specimens and in 2% of blood samples. Only 1 patient was PCR positive in both blood and skin samples. Seventy percent of patients whose PCR results were positive were bitten by a tick less than 14 days before. IgM anti-B. burgdorferi s.l - specific antibodies were present in the serum of 35% of patients and IgG antibodies - in 30% of patients. Seventeen percent were positive in both IgM and IgG. CONCLUSIONS Polymerase chain reaction of skin biopsy specimens seems to be currently the most sensitive and specific test for the diagnosis of patients with EM, especially in patients with a short duration of the disease (< 14 days) but still its effectiveness is much lower than expected. Polymerase chain reaction of blood samples cannot be recommended at the present time for the routine diagnostic of patients with EM.