A decrease in the immunoglobulin G antibody response against the VlsE protein of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato correlates with the resolution of clinical signs in antibiotic-treated patients with early Lyme disease.
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic performance of the LIAISON Borrelia Screen (Diasorin, Saluggia, Italy), a new automated immunoassay based on the chemiluminescent technology (chemiluminescence immunoassay). To assess whether a decrease in a negative value in the anti-VlsE immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibody titer was correlated with a positive response to treatment, a group of serially collected serum samples from 67 patients with culture-confirmed erythema migrans was retrospectively studied. All the patients had been treated with antibiotics and were free of disease within 3 to 6 months of follow-up. All the 15 patients who were found to be IgG positive at the time of enrollment and who were bled at least four times during the follow-up became IgG seronegative at 2 to 6 months posttreatment. These results indicate that a decline in the anti-VlsE antibody titer coincides with effective antimicrobial therapy in patients with early localized Lyme disease.
Marangoni
Antonella
A
Section of Microbiology, DMCSS, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy.
Sambri
Vittorio
V
Accardo
Silvia
S
Cavrini
Francesca
F
Mondardini
Valeria
V
Moroni
Alessandra
A
Storni
Elisa
E
Cevenini
Roberto
R
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000097:blood*; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial / Q000276:immunology*; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000276:immunology*; D025065:Borrelia burgdorferi / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000097:blood*; D007165:Immunosuppression Therapy; D008074:Lipoproteins / Q000276:immunology*; D008193:Lyme Disease / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013997:Time Factors
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D008074:Lipoproteins; C105546:VlsE protein, Borrelia burgdorferi