Genospecies and their influence on immunoblot results

In Europe at least three human pathogenic species of Borrelia burgdorferi s ensu late are the causative agents of Lyme borreliosis. All three species h ave been isolated or detected by PCR from skin, CSF and synovial fluid of p atients with skin lesions, neuroborreliosis and Lyme arthritis respectively . Studies using strains representing the three species as antigen for the i mmunoblot revealed that interpretation criteria depend strictly on the stra in used as antigen. More than using certain species as antigen it is import ant to use strains (f.e. B. afzelii strain PKo) expressing certain immunodo minant antigens like OspC and p17 which may not be expressed by other strai ns in vitro. Using strain PKo as antigen the two band criterium can be used without loss of too much sensitivity compared to using B, burgdorferi sens u stricto strain PKa2 and B, garinii strain PBI. The use of recombinant ant igens allows selection of highly specific and combination of homologous ant igens from different strains; however not all desirable antigens have been recombinantly expressed. Addition of p17 and p58 as antigens may improve th e sensitivity of the hitherto described recombinant antigen immunoblots con taining the antigens p83/100, p39, OspC and the p41 internal fragment.