A decrease in the immunoglobulin G antibody response against the VlsE protein of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato correlates with the resolution of clinical signs in antibiotic-treated patients with early Lyme disease

Clin Vaccine Immunol. 2006 Apr;13(4):525-9. doi: 10.1128/CVI.13.4.525-529.2006.

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic performance of the LIAISON Borrelia Screen (Diasorin, Saluggia, Italy), a new automated immunoassay based on the chemiluminescent technology (chemiluminescence immunoassay). To assess whether a decrease in a negative value in the anti-VlsE immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibody titer was correlated with a positive response to treatment, a group of serially collected serum samples from 67 patients with culture-confirmed erythema migrans was retrospectively studied. All the patients had been treated with antibiotics and were free of disease within 3 to 6 months of follow-up. All the 15 patients who were found to be IgG positive at the time of enrollment and who were bled at least four times during the follow-up became IgG seronegative at 2 to 6 months posttreatment. These results indicate that a decline in the anti-VlsE antibody titer coincides with effective antimicrobial therapy in patients with early localized Lyme disease.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / therapeutic use*
  • Antibodies, Bacterial / blood*
  • Antigens, Bacterial / immunology*
  • Bacterial Proteins / immunology*
  • Borrelia burgdorferi / immunology*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Immunoglobulin G / biosynthesis
  • Immunoglobulin G / blood*
  • Immunosuppression Therapy*
  • Lipoproteins / immunology*
  • Lyme Disease / blood
  • Lyme Disease / diagnosis*
  • Lyme Disease / drug therapy
  • Lyme Disease / immunology*
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Time Factors

Substances

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents
  • Antibodies, Bacterial
  • Antigens, Bacterial
  • Bacterial Proteins
  • Immunoglobulin G
  • Lipoproteins
  • VlsE protein, Borrelia burgdorferi