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Journal of Clinical Microbiology, June 1999, p. 2077-2079, Vol. 37, No. 6
0095-1137/99/$04.00+0
Copyright © 1999, American Society for Microbiology. All rights reserved.

Infection of Laboratory Mice with the Human Granulocytic Ehrlichiosis Agent Does Not Induce Antibodies to Diagnostically Significant Borrelia burgdorferi Antigens

Joseph E. Bunnell,1 Louis A. Magnarelli,2 and J. Stephen Dumler1,3,4,*

Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, The Johns Hopkins University School of Hygiene and Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland 212051; Department of Entomology, Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station, New Haven, Connecticut 065042; Division of Medical Microbiology, Department of Pathology, The Johns Hopkins University Schools of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 212873; and Department of Pathology, the University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 212014

Received 21 December 1998/Returned for modification 1 February 1999/Accepted 17 February 1999

Laboratory diagnosis of Borrelia burgdorferi is routinely made by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, with positive results confirmed by Western blot analysis. Concern has been raised that false-positive diagnoses may be made on the basis of serologic cross-reactivity with antibodies directed against other bacterial pathogens, in particular the agent of human granulocytic ehrlichiosis (HGE). The present study made use of a mouse model to ascertain the validity of these concerns. Two different strains of mice were inoculated with the HGE agent and assayed for production of polyclonal and monoclonal antibodies to antigens of both of these bacteria. Infection of mice with the HGE agent does not induce diagnostically significant B. burgdorferi serologic cross-reactions.

* Corresponding author. Mailing address: Division of Medical Microbiology, Department of Pathology, The Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, Meyer B1-193, 600 North Wolfe St., Baltimore, MD 21287. Phone: (410) 955-5077. Fax: (410) 614-8087. E-mail: sdumler{at}pathlan.path.jhu.edu.

Journal of Clinical Microbiology, June 1999, p. 2077-2079, Vol. 37, No. 6
0095-1137/99/$04.00+0
Copyright © 1999, American Society for Microbiology. All rights reserved.


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