Using the polymerase chain reaction to Borrelia burgdorferi infection in localized scleroderma injure (morphea), in Venezuelan patients

Borrelia burgdorferi is the causative agent of Lyme Borreliosis, an infectious multisystemic disease transmitted to humans by the Ixodes ticks bite. A possible association of Borrelia burgdorferi with localized scleroderma has been postulated. However, published data do not provide unequivocal resul...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Investigación clínica 2010-09, Vol.51 (3), p.381-390
Main Authors: Espinoza-León, Fabiola, Arocha, Francisco, Hassanhi, Manzur, Arévalo, Julio
Format: Article
Language:Spanish
Subjects:
Borrelia burgdorferi - isolation & purification
Cross-Sectional Studies
Female
Humans
Lyme Disease - complications
Lyme Disease - microbiology
Male
Polymerase Chain Reaction
Prospective Studies
Scleroderma, Localized - microbiology
Venezuela
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Summary:Borrelia burgdorferi is the causative agent of Lyme Borreliosis, an infectious multisystemic disease transmitted to humans by the Ixodes ticks bite. A possible association of Borrelia burgdorferi with localized scleroderma has been postulated. However, published data do not provide unequivocal results. Previous serologic analysis of patients with localized scleroderma in South American countries (including Venezuela), have been reported as yielding some reactivity. The present study looked for evidence of Borrelia burgdorferi infection in venezuelan patients with localized scleroderma, using the polymerase chain reaction to analyze 21 skin samples of patients with this skin condition. The results were negative in all the samples studied. Our data do not support an association of Borrelia burgdorferi infection and the sclerotic lesions of localized scleroderma; but do not rule out the possibility of a relationship between localized scleroderma and an unknown geno-specie of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato complex, a different Borrelia specie or a different spirochetal organism, as the etiological agents of the skin lesions in this area.
ISSN:0535-5133