COMPARATIVE-EVALUATION OF ADSORPTION WITH ESCHERICHIA-COLI ON ELISA TESTS FOR LYME BORRELIOSIS

Objective. To evaluate prospectively in a clinical setting the use of a soluble fraction of E. coli to adsorb nonspecific antibodies which c an cause false positive ELISA tests for Lyme borreliosis. Methods. The patient population tested was obtained from individuals referred to o r initially presenting at a pediatric Lyme disease clinic in Wilmingto n, DE, Patients were followed for a minimum of 6 months subsequent to primary presentation at the clinic. Results. A total of 209 met criter ia for study inclusion, 93 of whom were diagnosed as having Lyme borre liosis and 116 of whom had other diagnoses. Results of ELISA tests wer e compared with different diagnoses and, when available, ELISA results from commercial laboratories. Findings indicate that some commercial laboratories have excessively high rates of false positive results (> 90% of positives were found to be false positives). Conclusion. Adsorp tion with E. coli antigens effectively removed antibodies causing fals e positive results including those occurring at commercial laboratorie s and did not cause any significant reduction in assay sensitivity.