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Relapsing fever and its serological discrimination from lyme borreliosis

Rückfallfieber — serologische Abgrenzung von Lyme Borreliose. Fallbericht

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Summary

Patients withBorrelia-caused relapsing fever produce cross-reacting antibodies toBorrelia burgdorferi, the anti-genetically related causative agent of Lyme borreliosis. The antibody response of the serum of a patient (acute and convalescent) with relapsing fever was analysed by the immunoblot technique usingBorrelia hermsii andB. burgdorferi as antigens. The diagnosis was established by microscopic detection of spirochetes in the patient's blood. The patient's serum showed significantly elevated titers of IgG and IgM in aB. burgdorferi indirect immuno-fluorescence assay. Immunoblot analysis indicated the presence of cross-reacting antibodies directed toB. burgdorferi antigens with apparent molecular weights of 60, 41, 40, 36, 30 and 20 kDa.

Zusammenfassung

Patienten mit borrelieninduziertem Rückfallfieber produzieren kreuzreagierende Antikörper gegen den nah verwandten Erreger der Lyme-Borreliose,Borrelia burgdorferi. Wir beschreiben die Antikörperantwort einer Patientin mit klinisch diagnostiziertem Rückfallfieber gegenBorrelia hermsii, einem Erreger des zeckenübertragenen Rückfallfiebers in den USA, undB. burgdorferi. Die Diagnose eines Rückfallfiebers konnte durch den mikroskopischen Nachweis von Spirochäten im Blut der Patientin gesichert werden. Die Patientin zeigte signifikant erhöhte IgG- und IgM-Titer imB. burgdorferi-IFT. Die Immunoblot-untersuchungen zeigen, daß kreuzreagierende Antikörper gegenB. burgdorferi-Antigene mit einem apparenten Molekulargewicht von etwa 60, 41, 40, 36, 30, und 20 kDa gerichtet sind.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Abt. für Medizinische Mikrobiologie, Universitätsklinikum Rudolf Virchow, Standort Wedding, Augustenburger Platz 1, W-1000, Berlin 65

    P. -M. Rath &  F. -J. Fehrenbach

  2. II. Innere Abteilung, Universitätsklinikum Rudolf Virchow, Standort Wedding, Augustenburger Platz 1, W-1000, Berlin 65

    Gertrud Rögler &  H. D. Pohle

  3. Institut für Veterinärmedizin des Bundesgesundheitsamtes, Thielallee 88-92, W-1000, Berlin 33, Germany

    A. Schönberg

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  1. P. -M. Rath
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  2. F. -J. Fehrenbach
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  3. Gertrud Rögler
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  4. H. D. Pohle
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  5. A. Schönberg
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Rath, P.M., Fehrenbach, F.J., Rögler, G. et al. Relapsing fever and its serological discrimination from lyme borreliosis. Infection 20, 283–286 (1992). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01710797

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01710797

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