title: Presence of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato antibodies in the serum of patients with abdominal aortic aneurysms.
abstract: Infectious agents are likely to play a role in the pathogenesis of chronic inflammatory diseases, including abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs). The goal of this study was to determine if Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato (sl), a microorganism responsible for Lyme disease, is involved in the etiology of AAAs. The presence of serum antibodies against B. burgdorferi sl was measured with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and confirmed by Western blotting in 96 AAA and 108 peripheral artery disease (PAD) patients. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used for the detection of Borrelia-specific DNA in the aneurysm wall. Among AAA patients 34% and among PAD patients 16% were seropositive for B. burgdorferi sl antibodies (Fisher's exact test, p = 0.003; odds ratio [OR] 2.79; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.37-5.85). In the German general population, 3-17% are seropositive for Borrelia antibodies. No Borrelia DNA was detected in the aneurysm wall. Our findings suggest a relationship between AAAs and B. burgdorferi sl. We hypothesize that the underlying mechanism for B. burgdorferi sl in AAA formation is similar to that by the spirochete Treponema pallidum; alternatively, AAAs could develop due to induced autoimmunity via molecular mimicry due to similarities between some of the B. burgdorferi sl proteins and aortic proteins.
authors.affiliation: Department of Visceral, Thoracic, and Vascular Surgery, Technical University of Dresden, Fetscherstr. 74, 01307, Dresden, Germany. irene.hinterseher@uniklinikum-dresden.de
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Hinterseher
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Gäbel
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Corvinus
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lück
authors.forename: H D
authors.initials: HD
authors.lastname: Saeger
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Bergert
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Tromp
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kuivaniemi
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000097:blood*; D017544:Aortic Aneurysm, Abdominal / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology*; D015153:Blotting, Western; D015748:Borrelia burgdorferi Group / Q000276:immunology*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008193:Lyme Disease / Q000150:complications*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
chemical_list: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial