Document Detail


European Lyme borreliosis: 231 culture-confirmed cases involving patients with erythema migrans.
MedLine Citation:
PMID:  8816130     Owner:  NLM     Status:  MEDLINE    
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
In 1994, we isolated Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato from 231 patients with erythema migrans who presented to the University Medical Center in Ljubljana, Slovenia. Samples of erythema migrans-affected skin were placed in media to support the growth of Borrelia species and evaluated in Ljubljana and Chicago. Patients whose cultures were positive included 132 women and 99 men; 136 of these 231 patients recalled a tick bite. Patients noted a rash an average of 24 days after a bite and presented a mean of 34 days after the bite with erythema migrans (mean diameter. 16 cm). Itching (44%) burning (18%), and pain (11%) were the most common local symptoms. Systemic complaints (40%) included headache, fatigue, malaise, and arthralgia. Other than erythema migrans, findings on physical examination were minimal (< 5% had fever, and in < 10% local lymph nodes were affected). Serial serological studies using indirect immunofluorescence assay, ELISA, and Western blot methods were performed, and antibodies to B, burgdorferi sensu lato were detected in < 50% of samples from patients. This is the largest series reported to date of patients with culture-confirmed Lyme borreliosis. It highlights the deficiencies of serological tests in early disease, demonstrates the sensitivity of direct detection methods for evaluation of patients with erythema migrans, and suggests that patients with early Lyme borreliosis in Slovenia may suffer a milder illness than those in the United States.
Authors:
F Strle; J A Nelson; E Ruzic-Sabljic; J Cimperman; V Maraspin; S Lotric-Furlan; Y Cheng; M M Picken; G M Trenholme; R N Picken
Publication Detail:
Type:  Comparative Study; Journal Article; Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.    
Journal Detail:
Title:  Clinical infectious diseases : an official publication of the Infectious Diseases Society of America     Volume:  23     ISSN:  1058-4838     ISO Abbreviation:  Clin. Infect. Dis.     Publication Date:  1996 Jul 
Date Detail:
Created Date:  1996-12-27     Completed Date:  1996-12-27     Revised Date:  2007-11-14    
Medline Journal Info:
Nlm Unique ID:  9203213     Medline TA:  Clin Infect Dis     Country:  UNITED STATES    
Other Details:
Languages:  eng     Pagination:  61-5     Citation Subset:  IM    
Affiliation:
Department of Infectious Diseases, University Medical Centre, Ljubljana, Slovenia.
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MeSH Terms
Descriptor/Qualifier:
Adolescent
Adult
Aged
Aged, 80 and over
Antibodies, Bacterial / blood
Bacteriological Techniques / statistics & numerical data
Blotting, Western
Borrelia burgdorferi Group / immunology,  isolation & purification*
Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay
Erythema Chronicum Migrans / diagnosis,  etiology,  microbiology*
Female
Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Indirect
Humans
Male
Middle Aged
Sensitivity and Specificity
Serologic Tests / methods
Skin / microbiology
Slovenia
United States
Grant Support
ID/Acronym/Agency:
AR41517/AR/NIAMS NIH HHS
Chemical
Reg. No./Substance:
0/Antibodies, Bacterial
Comments/Corrections
Erratum In:
Clin Infect Dis 1996 Nov;23(5):1202

From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine


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