Direct molecular detection and genotyping of Borrelia burgdorferi from whole blood of patients with early Lyme disease.

ABSTRACT: Direct molecular tests in blood for early Lyme disease can be insensitive due to low amount of circulating Borrelia burgdorferi DNA. To address this challenge, we have developed a sensitive strategy to both detect and genotype B. burgdorferi directly from whole blood collected during the initial patient visit. This strategy improved sensitivity by employing 1.25 mL of whole blood, a novel pre-enrichment of the entire specimen extract for Borrelia DNA prior to a multi-locus PCR and electrospray ionization mass spectrometry detection assay. We evaluated the assay on blood collected at the initial presentation from 21 endemic area patients who had both physician-diagnosed erythema migrans (EM) and positive two-tiered serology either at the initial visit or at a follow-up visit after three wee

SUBMITTER: Eshoo MW 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3348129 | biostudies-literature | 2012

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature