ETIOLOGY OF THE ACRODERMATITIS CHRONICA ATROPHICANS LESION IN LYME-DISEASE

Spirochete diversity in acrodermatitis chronica atrophicans lesions in a closely defined central European site was compared to that in the l ocal vector population, in human erythema migrans lesions, and in cere brospinal fluid by amplifying and sequencing a segment of the gene of outer surface protein A directly from sampled tissues. Borrelia garini i, Borrelia afzelii, and Borrelia burgdorferi acutely infect human ski n and invade internal tissues. Only B. afzelii, however, is associated with acrodermatitis chronica atrophicans lesions, persisting chronica lly where the skin has atrophied.