Detection of antigen-specific T cells in patients with neuroborreliosis

Abstract

There is a lack of laboratory tests in clinical practice that can detect the activity of borrelial infection. This was the reason for testing an antigen-specific T-cell detection method in patients with neuroborreliosis: the ELISPOT method, which is capable of detecting antigen-specific T lymphocytes in clinical conditions. A group of 32 patients (20 diagnosed with neuroborreliosis; NB) was examined using this commercial method (LymeSpot intrerferon-γ Assay Kit®). Of these 20 NB patients, 10 were found to be positive and 10 negative; four of the five persons tested prior to the antibiotic treatment were positive. Eight patients served as the control group, giving four positive and four negative results. The results achieved so far appear to be unequivocal; still, the test could be expected: a) in non-specific clinical symptoms with borderline or negative proof of antibodies; b) in eraly stage of the disease; c) in the case of seropositivity and unequivocal clinical picture. The basic prerequisite for the clinical utilization of the method, however, is that it be thoroughly tested.

Keywords: neuroborreliosis - immune response - T cells - interferon-γ..