Detection of Borrelia burgdorferi in biological samples using the polymerase chain reaction assay.
Oligonucleotide primers were used in the polymerase chain reaction assay to amplify specific DNA regions of the Borrelia burgdorferi 49-kb linear plasmid. One set of primers identifies a 442-bp DNA fragment in the OspA gene and a second pair of amplimers, a 176-bp DNA piece located in the OspB gene. The last set of primers, OspBpc3/pc4, outperformed the other pair in discriminating pathogenic North American or European isolates from related bacterial species, detected down to 4 spirochaetes, and was suitable for the identification of B. burgdorferi in biological samples, such as synovial and cerebrospinal fluids.
Debue
M
M
Service for Applied Genetics, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Nivelles, Belgium.
Gautier
P
P
Hackel
C
C
Van Elsen
A
A
Herzog
A
A
Bigaignon
G
G
Bollen
A
A
D015748:Borrelia burgdorferi Group / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D004587:Electrophoresis, Agar Gel; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008193:Lyme Disease / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000382:microbiology; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods*; D013582:Synovial Fluid / Q000382:microbiology