equine assay data sheet
Lyme disease (Borrelia burgdorferi)
Test code:
B0004 -
Ultrasensitive qualitative
detection of Borrelia
burgdorferi by real time PCR.
This assay detects all Borrelia genospecies within the designation
Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato, which includes those found in both
North America and Eurasia.
Borrelia burgdorferi are gram-negative spirochete bacteria that cause
Lyme disease. Spirochetes are a group of phylogenetically
distinct bacteria that have a unique mode of motility by means
of axial filaments (endoflagella).
Borrelia
are divided into "genospecies" including
B. burgdorferi sensu
strict, B. garinii and
B. afzelii. The term used to collectively describe all these
genospecies is B.
burgdorferi sensu lato. All North American isolates are
genospecies B. burgdorferi
sensu strict. B. garinii and
B. afzelii are predominant in Europe and Asia, although all
three genospecies have been found there.
B. burgdorferi invades the blood and tissues
of various infected mammals and birds via the bite of ticks of
genus Ixodes. The
natural reservoir for B.
burgdorferi is thought to be the white-footed mouse. Ticks
transfer the spirochetes to deer, humans, and other warm-blooded
animals after a blood meal from an infected animal. In most
mammals, including humans, infection by
B. burgdorferi can
result in Lyme disease.
Culture detection of
Borrelia is difficult
because these organisms have fastidious growth requirements, and
even under optimal conditions their growth is very slow.
Diagnosis by serological means usually has a very low positive
predictive value (Lakos et al., 2010). However, PCR is a highly
specific and sensitive methodology for rapid detection of
B. burgdorferi.
Utilities:
-
Help confirm the disease causing agent
-
Shorten the time required to confirm a clinical
diagnosis of Lyme disease
-
Help ensure that animal facilities are free of Lyme disease
-
Early prevention of spread of Lyme disease among a
facility
-
Minimize human exposure to Lyme disease
-
Safety monitoring of biological products that derive
from susceptible animals
References:
Lakos, A., Reiczigel, J. and Solymosi, N. (2010) The positive
predictive value of
Borrelia burgdorferi serology in the light of symptoms of
patients sent to an outpatient service for tick-borne diseases.
Inflamm. Res. 59:959-64.
Preferred specimen types: 0.2 ml synovial fluid or CSF, or 0.2 ml fresh, frozen or fixed
tissue, or tick.
Less preferred specimen types:
0.2
ml whole blood in EDTA (purple top) tube, or 0.2 ml urine
Contact Zoologix if advice is needed to determine an appropriate specimen type for a specific diagnostic application. For specimen types not listed here, please contact Zoologix to confirm specimen acceptability and shipping instructions.
For all
specimen types, if there will be a delay in shipping, or during
very warm weather, refrigerate specimens until shipped and ship
with a cold pack unless more stringent shipping requirements are
specified. Frozen specimens should be shipped so as to remain
frozen in transit. See shipping
instructions for more information.
Turnaround time:
2 business days
Methodology:
Qualitative
real time polymerase chain reaction
Normal range:
Nondetected
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