Temporal study of immunoglobin M seroreactivity to Borrelia burgdorferi in patients treated for Lyme borreliosis

J Clin Microbiol. 1997 Mar;35(3):774-6. doi: 10.1128/jcm.35.3.774-776.1997.

Abstract

Forty-six patients with late Lyme disease who were considered improved or cured following treatment were monitored by immunoglobin M (IgM) immunoblotting (mean monitoring period, 27.6 months). There was a persistent IgM response in 32 (97%) of 33 initially positive patients. All but three showed a consistent number, type, and intensity of IgM bands over the entire follow-up period. IgM immunoblotting may not be useful for monitoring the response to treatment of Lyme borreliosis.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Antibodies, Bacterial / blood*
  • Borrelia burgdorferi Group / immunology*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Immunoblotting
  • Immunoglobulin M / blood*
  • Lyme Disease / diagnosis
  • Lyme Disease / drug therapy
  • Lyme Disease / immunology*
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Serologic Tests
  • Time Factors

Substances

  • Antibodies, Bacterial
  • Immunoglobulin M