title: Frequency of Borrelia in Morphea Lesion by Polymerase Chain Reaction in Northeast of Iran.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The etiology of morphea is still unknown. Borrelia spp. as a causative agent of morphea has been discussed since 1985, but the relationship remains uncertain.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  We aimed to find the frequency of Borrelia in morphea lesions by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in northeast of Iran.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixty six patients with morphea were prospectively included in the present study. For each patient, formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissue blocks of skin lesion biopsies were examined for Borrelia spp. DNA using PCR.
  
  
  RESULTS
  No Borrelia DNA was detected by PCR in skin lesions of patients with morphea.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The result of this study showed no relationship between Borrelia infection and morphea lesions and in other word indicated that morphea, at least in Iran, is not caused by Borrelia spp.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Research Center for Skin Diseases and Cutaneous Leishmaniasis, Ghaem Hospital, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Mohhamad Javad
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Yazdanpanah
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Norieh
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Sharifi
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Alireza
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Khooei
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Research Center for Skin Diseases and Cutaneous Leishmaniasis, Ghaem Hospital, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Mahnaz
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Banihashemi
authors.affiliation: Department of Social Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Mohammad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Khaje-Daluee
authors.affiliation: Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences Research Center, Ibn-e-Sina Hospital, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Azadeh
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Shamsi
authors.affiliation: Antimicrobial Resistance Research Center, Department of Microbiology and Virology, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Kiarash
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ghazvini
keywords: Borrelia spp.; Morphea; Polymerase Chain Reaction