Evaluation of the immune response in culture-confirmed Lyme borreliosis erythema migrans patients

In this study we evaluated the humoral response in 43 serum samples obtaine d from 15 patients suffering from Lyme borreliosis erythema migrans. A skin punch biopsy was obtained from each patient when entering the study and cu ltivated in BSKII medium. All the 15 cultures showed a positivity for borre liae within one month: 12 were identified as Borrelia afzelii, and the rema ining 3 were B, garinii, as defined by PCR assay. The IgM response was iden tified by immunofluorescence assay (IFA) in 39/43 sera, whereas 37/43 sera were IgG positive. Using Western blot technique all the samples were reacti ve, both for IgM and IgG antibodies.