DETECTION OF BORRELIA-BURGDORFERI DNA BY POLYMERASE CHAIN-REACTION INURINE SPECIMENS OF PATIENTS WITH ERYTHEMA MIGRANS LESIONS

A polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay was developed for the detectio n of Borrelia burgdorferi-specific DNA in the urine of patients with e rythema migrans (EM). The target for the PCR was a specific region of the flagellin gene, and DNA was extracted from urine by Chelex resin. The detection limit was 1-10 genomes of B. burgdorferi, B. garinii or B. afzelii. A prospective study was performed with 12 consecutively di agnosed patients with EM, to evaluate the PCR assay on clinical sample s. Borrelia burgdorferi-specific DNA could be detected in urine specim ens from the 12 patients with EM before antibiotic therapy. Five weeks after therapy all the patients were negative by PCR of urine. Results of the present study confirm that the described PCR assay is sensitiv e and that this sort of test allows monitoring of the efficacy of ther apy in patients with early Lyme borreliosis. (C) 1997 Academic Press L imited.