title: Improved culture conditions for the growth and detection of Borrelia from human serum.
abstract: In this report we present a method to cultivate Borrelia spirochetes from human serum samples with high efficiency. This method incorporates improved sample collection, optimization of culture media and use of matrix protein. The method was first optimized utilizing Borrelia laboratory strains, and later by demonstrating growth of Borrelia from sera from fifty seropositive Lyme disease patients followed by another cohort of 72 Lyme disease patients, all of whom satisfied the strict CDC surveillance case definition for Lyme disease. The procedure resulted in positive cultures in 47% at 6 days and 94% at week 16. Negative controls included 48 cases. The positive identification of Borrelia was performed by immunostaining, PCR, and direct DNA sequencing.
authors.affiliation: Research Division of Advanced Laboratory Services Philadelphia PA, USA. esapi@newhaven.edu
authors.forename: Eva
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Sapi
authors.forename: Namrata
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Pabbati
authors.forename: Akshita
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Datar
authors.forename: Ellen M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Davies
authors.forename: Amy
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rattelle
authors.forename: Bruce A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Kuo
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001899:Borrelia Infections / Q000382:microbiology*; D025065:Borrelia burgdorferi / Q000166:cytology / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000472:pathogenicity; D018929:Cell Culture Techniques; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003470:Culture Media / Q000737:chemistry; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008193:Lyme Disease / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000382:microbiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014481:United States
chemical_list: D003470:Culture Media
keywords: Clinical microbiology; Lyme disease; Spirochetes.; Vector-borne diseases