primate assay data sheet
Lyme disease (Borrelia
burgdorferi)
Test code:
B0004
- Ultrasensitive qualitative detection of
Borrelia burgdorferi by real time PCR. This assay detects
all Borrelia genospecies within the designation
Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato, which includes those found in both
North America and Eurasia.
Borrelia burgdorferi are gram-negative spirochete bacteria that cause
Lyme disease. Spirochetes are a group of phylogenetically
distinct bacteria that have a unique mode of motility by means
of axial filaments (endoflagella).
Borrelia
are divided into "genospecies" including
B. burgdorferi sensu
strict, B. garinii and
B. afzelii. The term used to collectively describe all these
genospecies is B.
burgdorferi sensu lato. All North American isolates are
genospecies B. burgdorferi
sensu strict. B. garinii and
B. afzelii are predominant in Europe and Asia, although all
three genospecies have been found there.
B. burgdorferi invades the blood and tissues of various infected
mammals and birds via the bite of ticks of genus
Ixodes. The natural
reservoir for B.
burgdorferi is thought to be the white-footed mouse. Ticks
transfer the spirochetes to deer, humans, and other warm-blooded
animals after a blood meal from an infected animal. In most
mammals, including humans, infection by
B. burgdorferi can
result in Lyme disease.
Culture detection of
Borrelia is difficult because these organisms have
fastidious growth requirements, and even under optimal
conditions their growth is very slow. Diagnosis by serological
means usually has a very low positive predictive value (Lakos et
al., 2010). However, PCR is a highly specific and sensitive
methodology for rapid detection of
B. burgdorferi.
Utilities:
-
Help confirm the disease causing agent
-
Shorten the time required to confirm a clinical diagnosis of
Lyme disease
-
Help ensure that colonies are free of Borrelia burgdorferi
-
Early prevention of spread of Lyme disease among a facility
-
Minimize human exposure to Borrelia burgdorferi
-
Safety monitoring of biological products that derive from
susceptible animals
References:
Lakos, A., Reiczigel, J. and Solymosi, N. (2010) The positive
predictive value of
Borrelia burgdorferi serology in the light of symptoms of
patients sent to an outpatient service for tick-borne diseases.
Inflamm. Res. 59:959-64.
Preferred specimen types: 0.2 ml synovial
fluid or CSF, or 0.2 ml fresh, frozen or fixed tissue, or tick.
Less preferred specimen types:
0.2ml whole blood in EDTA (purple top) tube, or 0.2 ml urine
Contact Zoologix if advice is needed to determine an appropriate specimen type for a specific diagnostic application. For specimen types not listed here, please contact Zoologix to confirm specimen acceptability and shipping instructions.
For all specimen types, if there will be a delay in shipping, or
during very warm weather, refrigerate specimens until shipped
and ship with a cold pack unless more stringent shipping
requirements are specified. Frozen specimens should be shipped
so as to remain frozen in transit. See
shipping instructions for
more information.
Turnaround time: 2 business days
Methodology:
Qualitative real time
polymerase chain reaction
Normal range: Nondetected
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