Detection of IFN-γ Secretion by T Cells Collected Before and After Successful Treatment of Early Lyme Disease.

Background: Current serodiagnostics for Lyme disease lack sensitivity during early disease, and cannot determine treatment response. We evaluated an assay based on QuantiFERON technology utilizing peptide antigens derived from Borrelia burgdorferi to stimulate interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) release as an alternative to serodiagnosis for the laboratory detection of Lyme disease.

Methods: Blood was obtained from patients with erythema migrans before (n = 29) and 2 months after (n = 27) antibiotic therapy.