Detection of persistent low IgG avidity-an interpretative problem in the diagnosis of acute toxoplasmosis.

Objectives: For the proper diagnosis of toxoplasmosis it is essential to determine the stage of the infection, for which the most preferred method is IgG avidity test. The avidity index (AI) should initially be low (AI≤0.3) in the acute phase and increase during the infection.

Serological Diagnostics of Lyme Borreliosis: Comparison of Universal and Borrelia Species-Specific Tests Based on Whole-Cell and Recombinant Antigens.

The study compares diagnostic parameters of different commercial serological kits based on three different antigen types and correlates test results with the status of the patient's infection. In total, 8 IgM and 8 IgG kits were tested, as follows: enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) (Euroimmun) based on whole-cell antigen, 3 species-specific enzyme immunoassays (EIAs) (TestLine), Liaison chemiluminescence (DiaSorin), ELISA-Viditest (Vidia), EIA, and Blot-Line (TestLine) using recombinant antigens. All tests were performed on a panel of 90 samples from patients with clinically characterized borreliosis (53 with neuroborreliosis, 32 with erythema migrans, and 5 with arthritis) plus 70 controls from blood donors and syphilis patients.

A serological study of antibodies to Anaplasma phagocytophilum and Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato in the sera of healthy individuals collected two decades apart.

Sera collected from healthy individuals from the general population in the Czech Republic during repeated cross-sectional surveys were analyzed. Samples collected in the same six districts in two time periods, 1978-1989 and 2001, were compared. The study subjects were divided into six age categories between 10 and 59 years.

Absence of Borrelia burgdorferi in the myocardium of subjects with normal left ventricular systolic function: a study using PCR and electron microscopy.

Background: Several studies have demonstrated the presence of the Borrelia burgdorferi (Bb) genome in the myocardium of patients with dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM). To further support a causal relationship between the presence of Bb in the heart muscle and the development of DCM, demonstration of the absence of Bb in the myocardium of subjects with normal left ventricular (LV) systolic function is needed.

Aim: To determine the prevalence of Bb by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and electron microscopy (EM) in individuals with normal LV systolic function and no history suggestive of myocarditis.

Short-term stability of Borrelia garinii in cerebrospinal fluid.

The aim of our study was to find out the optimal conditions for short-term storage of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples for direct diagnosis of Lyme disease. A mixture of Borrelia-negative CSFs spiked with a defined amount of cultured Borrelia garinii was used. Borrelia stability was investigated over 7 days at four different temperatures [room temperature (RT), +4, -20 and -70 °C].

Detection of Anaplasma phagocytophilum and Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato in dogs in the Czech Republic.

The aim of this study is to present molecular, serologic, and clinical findings for dogs that were naturally infected with Anaplasma phagocytophilum or Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato (s. l.) in the Czech Republic.