Or...Search this site Home Symptoms Live Discussion Diagnosis Treatment World-wide Support Finder Library Research Lymelinks Contact Pets & Lyme DONATIONS Drug Info Medical Dictionary Board of Directors -      Click on the graphic to vote for this site as a Starting Point Hot Site. No Warranties or Representations Lyme Disease symptoms vary from person to person. (lymes disease lyme's disease lime disease limes disease) The data and information presented in this web site are presented in good faith and believed to be accurate regarding Lyme disease (commonly misspelled lymes disease lyme's disease lime disease limes disease) and other related diseases. Any and all liability for the content or any omissions including any inaccuracies, errors, or misstatements in such data or information is expressly disclaimed. The web site is compiled for the sole purpose of informing community members of resources and information pertaining to Lyme Borreliosis Disease and its coinfections. Lyme disease symptoms may vary from person to person. The Canadian Lyme Disease Foundation, Directors and members are not liable for any direct or indirect damages or any damages whatsoever resulting from loss of use, data or profits, whether in an action of contract, negligence or other tortious action arising out of or in connection with the use or performance of information available from this website. Consult a qualified Lyme ( Borreliosis ) Disease literate doctor for medical advice if Lyme Disease is suspect to discuss your Lyme Disease Symptoms. en français For Physicians Ticks Coinfections Prevention Our Stories Click Here to order our free Lyme Disease Flyer,    Here for our free Lyme Disease Poster ..documents may be copied (to distribute) but edit only for alignment. 1: J Clin Microbiol. 2005 Aug;43(8):3602-9. Improvement of Lyme Borreliosis Serodiagnosis by a Newly Developed Recombinant Immunoglobulin G (IgG) and IgM Line Immunoblot Assay and Addition of VlsE and DbpA Homologues. Goettner G, Schulte-Spechtel U, Hillermann R, Liegl G, Wilske B, Fingerle V. Max von Pettenkofer-Institut fur Hygiene und Medizinische Mikrobiologie, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universitat Munchen, Pettenkoferstr. 9a, D-80336 Munich, Germany. fingerle@m3401.mpk.med.uni-muenchen.de We developed and evaluated a recombinant Borrelia line immunoblot assay based on 18 homologues of seven different antigens, i.e., p100, p58, p41i, BmpA, VlsE, OspC, and DbpA. Each recombinant antigen can be detected separately and is distinct even from homologues with identical molecular weights. This blot was compared to the recently described recombinant Borrelia Western immunoblot assay (U. Schulte-Spechtel, G. Lehnert, G. Liegl, V. Fingerle, C. Heimerl, B. J. Johnson, and B. Wilske, J. Clin. Microbiol. 41:1299- 1303, 2003). To verify sensitivity and specificity, both blots were evaluated for reactivity with Borrelia-specific immunoglobulin G (IgG) and IgM antibodies with 85 sera from patients with different manifestations of Lyme borreliosis and 110 controls. According to European interpretation criteria for Borrelia Western blots, which define a serum as positive when it recognizes at least two bands, sensitivity increased significantly from 70.6% (Western blot) to 84.7% (line blot) for IgG (P = 0.042) and from 40.0% (Western blot) to 73.8% (line blot) for IgM (P < 0.005). The increased sensitivity for IgG detection is due to the new line blot technique, whereas the improvement in detection of IgM is mainly achieved through incorporation of the additional antigens. Notably, the recombinant VlsE of Borrelia garinii strain PBi displayed the highest sensitivity of all antigens tested for IgG detection and is also one of the most useful antigens for IgM. Due to its excellent sensitivity and specificity combined with ease of evaluation, this line immunoblot assay offers a useful improvement in serodiagnosis of Lyme borreliosis.