Rapid typing of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato species in specimens from patients with different manifestations of Lyme borreliosis

To further investigate the pathogenic potential of different Borrelia burgd orferi genospecies, specimens from 27 patients with different manifestation s of Lyme borreliosis were analyzed by PCR and reverse line blotting (RLB). In samples from Lyme arthritis patients, B. burgdorferi. sensu stricto was predominantly identified, while in patients with neuroborreliosis or acrod ermatitis, Borrelia garinii and Borrelia afzelii, respectively, were exclus ively detected. The results demonstrate that PCR-RLB is a valuable tool for epidemiological and pathogenetic studies of Lyme borreliosis.