ANTIBODY-RESPONSES TO THE 3 GENOMIC GROUPS OF BORRELIA-BURGDORFERI INEUROPEAN LYME BORRELIOSIS

The antibody responses to the three genomic groups of Borrelia burgdor feri (B. burgdorferi sensu stricto, Borrelia garinii, and Borrelia afz elii) were determined in 97 German patients with various manifestation s of Lyme borreliosis. The geometric mean antibody titers in each pati ent group, determined by ELISA, were similar with each antigen prepara tion. By Western blotting, however, patients with meningopolyneuritis tended to respond to more spirochetal polypeptides of B. garinii, the group 2 strain, whereas those with arthritis recognized more antigens of B. afzelii, the group 3 strain (P <. 03), as did those with acroder matitis. Only 1 patient each with erythema migrans, arthritis, or acro dermatitis had weak reactivity with outer surface protein A (OspA), an d none responded to OspB. It is concluded that differences among the t hree groups of B. burgdorferi may result in variations in the antibody response in European Lyme borreliosis.