Burden and viability of Borrelia burgdorferi in skin and joints of patients with erythema migrans or lyme arthritis

摘要: Objective To determine the burden and viability of Borrelia burgdorferi in skin joints patients with Lyme disease. Methods Standard quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) techniques were used to detect B DNA samples from 90 erythema migrans (EM) synovial fluid (SF) 63 arthritis (LA) tissue 9 patients. Quantitative PCR determinations DNA, messenger RNA (mRNA), ribosomal (rRNA) made 10 EM 11 SF LA patients. Results Skin lesions most had positive results for DNA. In majority LA, a late disease manifestation, pretreatment positive. antibiotic-refractory arthritis, persisted as long months, but taken during postantibiotic period did not correlate relapse or subsequent duration at synovectomy, all negative. mRNA, marker spirochetal viability, was detected 8 patients, none even when obtained prior antibiotic administration. Moreover, median ratio rRNA measure activity, 160 samples, only 0.15 3 results. Conclusion B active viable, whereas those moribund dead any time point. Thus, detection is reliable test joint infection disease.