USE OF DNA PROBES FOR THE DETECTION OF LYME DISEASE

THE TREATMENT OF LYME DISEASE COULD BE GREATLY ENHANCED IF IT WERE POSSIBLE TO DETECT THE LYME DISEASE SPIROCHETE DIRECTLY IN BLOOD WITH A HIGHLY SENSITIVE TEST. IT IS PLANNED TO DEVELOP A TEST WHERE A REGION OF THE BORRELIA BURGDORFERI OSPA GENE IS AMPLIFIED USING THE POLYMERASE CHAIN REACTION (PCR) TO OBTAIN THE NECESSARY SENSITIVITY. THE AMPLIFIED PRODUCT WILL BE DETECTED INITIALLY BY SOUTHERNBLOTTING AND EVENTUALLY BY SANDWICH HYBRIDIZATION IN MICROTITER WELLS USING A NONRADIOACTIVE DNA PROBE. IN PHASE I, THE REAGENTS NECESSARY FOR THE PCR AMPLIFICATION OF B. BURGDORFERI DNA WILL BE DEVELOPED, AND, IF POSSIBLE, THE FEASIBILITY OF DETECTING THE SPIROCHETE USING THE PCR AND SOUTHERN BLOTTING WILL BE TESTED. A DIRECT AND SENSITIVE TEST OF THIS TYPE FOR LYME DISEASE SHOULD PERMIT EARLIER DETECTION, BETTER DIAGNOSTIC CONFIRMATION, AND EFFECTIVE MONITORING OF ANTIBIOTIC THERAPY.