SEROLOGICAL EVIDENCE OF LYME BORRELIOSIS IN AFRICA - RESULTS FROM STUDIES IN DAR-ES-SALAAM, TANZANIA

Investigations were performed on sera from blood donors, pregnant wome n, patients with polyarthritis and from patients with clinical suspici on of syphilis in Dar es Salaam using Borrelia burgdorferi (Bb) flagel lar antigen in a second generation ELISA test from DAKO A/S, Denmark, for specific IgM or IgG antibodies. An IgM and or IgG seropositivity r ate of 30/100 (30%), 19/50 (7.2%), 10/20 (50%) and 11/20 (55%) was fou nd in sera from the respective groups. These results compare with a Bb seroprevalence rate of 4/100 (4%), 1/52 (2%) and 363/5024 (7.2%) in b lood donors, in pregnant women and in patients investigated serologica lly for Lyme borreliosis (Lb) respectively in Bergen, Norway, where ca ses of Lh are detected regularly. The high prevalence of antibodies to Bb flagellar antigen in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania where clinical condit ions including erythema migrans, arthritis, myocarditis and CNS diseas es as well as tickbites are found call for further clinical, entomolog ical and laboratory investigations.