D353 - Lyme Disease (Borrelia burgdorferi)

Description:

Lyme disease, also known in medical circles as Borreliosis, is a bacterial disease that is carried by ticks, and affects both humans and animals. Ticks are regarded as a carrier of the disease, but it is fairly certain that ticks become infected with this bacteria by biting mice. When the ticks bite another host, the bacterium is then transferred to the blood of the host animal. The rapid spread of Lyme disease has several explanations. When one area becomes infected, the wildlife traveling through that area, become transports for the disease carrying tick. Migratory birds, deer, mice, dogs, all have helped spread the disease. Some of the signs of a dog that has contracted Lyme disease may include: arthritis, sudden onset of severe pain and lameness, fever, lethargy, loss of appetite, depression.

Diagnosis:

Current laboratory diagnosis of Lyme disease relies on methods with known limitations. The diagnostic value of antibody assays is unsatisfactory in early disease due to low sensitivity, serological cross-reactions, and the inability to distinguish between active and inactive infection due to antibody persistence after therapy. The pathogen can also be detected by culture; however, the sensitivity of this technique is low, ranging from 30 to 70% for culture of skin biopsy specimens to less than 5% for culture of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF).
The advantages of PCR for the diagnosis of B. burgdorferi infections are its speed, its high degree of sensitivity and specificity. The ability to detect one copy of B. burgdorferi DNA amplified from the ligament of a specific sequence of B. burgdorferi DNA has made PCR methods attractive in the laboratory diagnosis of Lyme borreliosis. Tissues, urine, CSF and blood can be used as the starting material for PCR. Positive result confirms active infection.

Sample:

1. Whole blood (3 ml) in a lavender top (EDTA) tube.
2. Urine.
3. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF).
4. Skin biopsy specimens.

Special Handling:

Store samples at 4°C until pick up or shipment.

Limitation:

In blood, spirochetemia is transient, like the bacteremia in most other infections, and high detection rates can be expected only during a short period of primary infection

Test Code:

D353