Diagnostic probability classification in suspected borreliosis by a novel C6-peptide IgG1- subclass antibody test.

The tick-borne multisystemic infection caused by , Lyme borreliosis, or Lyme disease, occurring in temperate regions of the northern hemisphere, continues to spread geographically with the expanding tick population. Despite the rising perceived risk of infection in the population, the clinical diagnosis of Borrelia infection is not always obvious and the most important laboratory test, antibody detection, has limited accuracy in diagnosing active disease. According to international guidelines, the primary serology test, which has a high sensitivity-low specificity, should, be verified using a high specificity confirmation test to improve the specificity.

The AxBioTick Study: Species and Tick-Borne Encephalitis Virus in Ticks, and Clinical Responses in Tick-Bitten Individuals on the Aland Islands, Finland.

The AxBioTick study was initiated to investigate the prevalence of ticks and tick-borne pathogens and their impact on antibody and clinical responses in tick-bitten individuals on the Aland Islands. This geographical area is hyperendemic for both Lyme borreliosis (LB) and Tick-borne encephalitis (TBE). Blood samples and ticks were collected from 100 tick-bitten volunteers.

Neutrophil Extracellular Traps (NETs) in the Cerebrospinal Fluid Samples from Children and Adults with Central Nervous System Infections.

Neutrophils operate as part of the innate defence in the skin and may eliminate the spirochaete via phagocytosis, oxidative bursts, and hydrolytic enzymes. However, their importance in Lyme neuroborreliosis (LNB) is unclear. Neutrophil extracellular trap (NET) formation, which is associated with the production of reactive oxygen species, involves the extrusion of the neutrophil DNA to form traps that incapacitate bacteria and immobilise viruses.

Serological diagnostics of Lyme borreliosis: comparison of assays in twelve clinical laboratories in Northern Europe.

Lyme borreliosis (LB), caused by spirochetes belonging to the Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato complex, is the most common tick-borne infection in Europe. Laboratory diagnosis of LB is mainly based on the patients' medical history, clinical signs and symptoms in combination with detection of Borrelia-specific antibodies where indirect enzyme-linked-immunosorbent assay (ELISA) is the most widely used technique. The objective of the study was to evaluate and compare the diagnostic accuracy (sensitivities and specificities) of serological tests that are currently in use for diagnosis of LB in clinical laboratories in Northern Europe, by use of a large serum panel.

A prospective study on the incidence of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato infection after a tick bite in Sweden and on the Åland Islands, Finland (2008-2009).

Lyme borreliosis (LB) is a common and increasing tick-borne disease in Europe. The risk of acquiring a Borrelia infection after a tick bite is not fully known. Therefore, we investigated the incidence of Borrelia infection after a bite by a Borrelia-infected tick and if the Borrelia load and/or the duration of tick-feeding influenced the risk of infection.

Can ELISPOT Be Applied to A Clinical Setting as A Diagnostic Utility for Neuroborreliosis?

The aim of this prospective study was to investigate the diagnostic performance of Borrelia (Bb)-induced interferon (IFN)-γ secretion detected by ELISPOT modified to be feasible for clinical laboratories as a supplementary test to the laboratory diagnosis of Lyme neuroborreliosis (LNB) in an endemic setting. Between 2002 and 2004, patients with symptoms of suspected clinical LNB were included in a study conducted on the Åland islands in the Finnish archipelago, which is a hyper-endemic area for Lyme borreliosis (LB). Fourteen patients with confirmed LNB and 103 patients with non-LNB were included, and the numbers of spontaneous and Bb-induced IFN-γ-secreting cells were assayed by the ELISPOT test.

TBE in Aland Islands 1959-2005: Kumlinge disease.

Tick-borne encephalitis, TBE, has been observed in Aland Islands (population 26,500) for more than 60 years. Because of the small population, the relative incidence is high. Antibodies to TBE virus have been found in ca.