title: First isolation of Borrelia burgdorferi from an iris biopsy.
abstract: The persistence of Borrelia burgdorferi in six patients is described. Borrelia burgdorferi has been cultivated from iris biopsy, skin biopsy, and cerebrospinal fluid also after antibiotic therapy for Lyme borreliosis. Lyme Serology: IgG antibodies to B. burgdorferi were positive, IgM negative in four patients; in two patients both IgM and IgG were negative. Antibiotic therapy may abrogate the antibody response to the infection as shown by our results. Patients may have subclinical or clinical disease without diagnostic antibody titers. Persistence of B. burgdorferi cannot be excluded when the serum is negative for antibodies against it.
authors.affiliation: Max v. Pettenkofer Institut für Hygiene u. Medizinische Mikrobiologie, LM-Universität München, Germany.
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Preac-Mursic
authors.forename: H W
authors.initials: HW
authors.lastname: Pfister
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Spiegel
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Burk
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Wilske
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Reinhardt
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Böhmer
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis; D001706:Biopsy; D015748:Borrelia burgdorferi Group / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D015818:Eye Infections, Bacterial / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007498:Iris / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000473:pathology; D007499:Iris Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology; D008193:Lyme Disease / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
chemical_list: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial