First Molecular Detection of Borrelia afzelii in Clinical Samples in Korea

• Published in: Microbiology and immunology 2007-01, Vol.51 (12), p.1201-1207
• Main Authors: Choi, Yeon-Joo, Han, Seung-Hoon, Park, Jin-Mi, Lee, Kyung-Min, Lee, Eun-Mi, Lee, Seung-Hyun, Song, Hyeon-Je, Koh, Young-Sang, Lee, Keun-Wha, Jang, Won-Jong, Park, Kyung-Hee
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Antibodies, Bacterial - blood; Antigens, Surface - genetics; Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins - genetics; Bacterial Vaccines - genetics; Borrelia afzelii; Borrelia burgdorferi; Borrelia burgdorferi Group - genetics; Borrelia burgdorferi Group - isolation & purification; DNA, Bacterial - blood; DNA, Bacterial - chemistry; DNA, Bacterial - genetics; DNA, Ribosomal Spacer - blood; DNA, Ribosomal Spacer - chemistry; DNA, Ribosomal Spacer - genetics; Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Indirect; Humans; Immunoglobulin G - blood; Immunoglobulin M - blood; Korea; Lipoproteins - genetics; lyme disease; Lyme Disease - diagnosis; Lyme Disease - microbiology; molecular detection; Molecular Sequence Data; nested PCR; Phylogeny; Polymerase Chain Reaction - methods; Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length; RFLP; Sequence Analysis, DNA; Sequence Homology; Serum - microbiology
• ISSN: 0385-5600; 1348-0421
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1348-0421.2007.tb04015.x

Borrelia afzelii nucleic acids were detected in the sera of febrile disease patients by a nested PCR that targeted the rrf (5S)‐rrl (23S) spacer of B. burgdorferi sensu lato. The B. afzelii‐specific DNA fragment was detected in 8 out of 283 sera which were proven to have immunoglobulin G or M antibodies against B. burgdorferi antigens through IFA. The results were further confirmed through restriction fragment length polymorphism and sequencing analysis of the DNA fragments. The results indicated for the first time that Lyme borreliosis is prevalent in Korea.