Background
Clinical manifestations in infection caused by B. miyamotoi can mimick highly variable symptoms of Lyme disease. The aim of our studies was to detect DNA of B. miyamotoi spirochetes in clinical materials from patients suspected of neuroborreliosis(retrospectively).
Methods
Samples of blood serum and cerebrospinal fluid were collected from 133 patients with clinical manifestations of neuroborreliosis. Diagnosis was established by detection of IgM and / or IgG specific antibodies to B. burgdorferi with ELISA in both sera and CSF. Specificity of positive ELISA results in sera were confirmed with Western-blot test. Bacterial DNA from the collected material was extracted, amplified and sequenced.
Results
Among 133 patients with clinical manifestations of neuroborreliosis recognized in the years 2010-2018., DNA of B. miyamotoi was detected in CSF from 1 (0.8%) patient with extraocular optic neuritis of the left eye (GenBank accession No. MK674170 and MK674171).
Conclusion
Detection of B. miyamotoi in patients with central nervous system infections, will allow a better understanding of the epidemiology of infections caused by Borrelia sp. spirochetes. Patients with neurological symptoms and questionable serological findings are a serious diagnostic problem, due to failure to meet the criteria for neuroboreliosis. This indicates the need for further studies of patients with signs of CNS infection.