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Journal of Clinical Microbiology, November 2001, p. 4013-4019, Vol. 39, No. 11
Haartman Institute, Department of
Bacteriology and Immunology,1 and
Hospital for Children and
Adolescents,2 University of Helsinki, and
HUCH Laboratory Diagnostics, Helsinki University Central
Hospital,3 Helsinki, Finland
Received 19 March 2001/Returned for modification 1 July
2001/Accepted 3 September 2001
Genes for flagellin A (FlaA) proteins from European borrelial
strains of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto, B.
afzelii, and B. garinii were cloned and
sequenced. An identity of 92 to 93% was observed in the
flaA sequences of the different species.
Polyhistidine-tagged recombinant FlaA (rFlaA) proteins were produced in
Escherichia coli and used as antigens in Western
blotting (WB) and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). In
immunoglobulin G (IgG) WB, 71% (10 of 14) of the sera from
neuroborreliosis and 86% (12 of 14) of those from Lyme arthritis
patients reacted with one to three rFlaAs. In IgG ELISA, 74% (14 of
19) and 79% (15 of 19) of patients with neuroborreliosis and
arthritis, respectively, were positive. The immunoreactivity in local
European patient sera was stronger against rFlaA from B.
garinii and B. afzelii than against rFlaA from
B. burgdorferi sensu stricto. Neither IgG nor IgM ELISA
was sensitive in the serodiagnosis of erythema migrans. Serum samples from patients with syphilis and systemic lupus erythematosus showed mild cross-reactivity in IgG tests. Sera from Yersinia
enterocolitica or beta-hemolytic
Streptococcus infections showed only occasional responses. With IgM ELISA, 58% (11 of 19) and 37% (7 of 19) of patients with neuroborreliosis and arthritis, respectively, were positive. Cross-reactive antibodies to FlaA, especially in serum samples from patients with rheumatoid factor positivity and
Epstein-Barr virus infection, reduced the specificity of IgM
serodiagnosis. Therefore, rFlaA seems to have a limited role for IgM
serodiagnosis, yet rFlaA might be useful in the IgG serodiagnosis of
disseminated Lyme borreliosis.
0095-1137/01/$04.00+0 DOI: 10.1128/JCM.39.11.4013-4019.2001
Copyright © 2001, American Society for Microbiology. All rights reserved.
Recombinant Flagellin A Proteins from Borrelia
burgdorferi Sensu Stricto, B.
afzelii, and B. garinii in
Serodiagnosis of Lyme Borreliosis
*
Corresponding author. Mailing address: Haartman
Institute, Department of Bacteriology and Immunology, P.O. Box 21, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, FIN-00014, Finland. Phone:
(358)-9-1911. Fax: (358)-9-19126382. E-mail:
jaana.panelius{at}helsinki.fi.
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