AUGMENTED INTRATHECAL SECRETION OF INTERFERON-GAMMA IN RESPONSE TO BORRELIA-GARINII IN NEUROBORRELIOSIS

The Lyme disease agent Borrelia garinii has been suggested to be neuro trop, preferentially affecting the nervous system. We compared the sec retion of interferon-gamma in response to outer surface proteins from Borrelia garinii and Borrelia afzelii in 10 patients with neuroborreli osis. In cerebrospinal fluid, stimulation with Borrelia garinii reveal ed higher numbers of interferon-gamma-secreting cells in all patients, whereas in blood, only five displayed higher numbers. This further st rengthens the hypothesis of Borrelia garinii being associated with the development of neuroborreliosis. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V. All r ights reserved.