Diagnosis of LymeBorreliosis

Overview

Lyme borreliosis (LB) is a nosological unit characterized by numerous pitfalls not only asregards identification of clinical symptoms but also as regards assessment of the definitediagnosis. The authors describe general diagnostic principles of LB and their limitations.Due to the considerable frequency of ticks and the marked colonization of ticks in particular insome regions of the Czech Republic the high percentage of the population with positive evidenceof specific antibodies is not surprising. With regard to the contemporary general availability ofexaminations by the ELISA Lyme method and the still persisting inadequate information ofthe medical public in particular as regards first line physicians the number of patients referredand frequently already treated with antibiotics because of suspection of the disease is rising,while it is based in many cases only on positive evidence of antibodies. This has not onlya psychological impact on these „patients“ but also a not negligible economic impact.The presented paper focuses attention not only on the definition and basic description of clinicalforms of Lyme borreliosis but in particular on contemporary possibilities of evidence of Borreliaburgdorferi (Bb) whereby the urgency of a comprehensive approach is emphasized.

Key words:
Lyme borreliosis - antiborrelia antibodies - ELISA Lyme - Western blot Lyme -serum conversion.