Detection of Borrelia burgdorferi in patients with Lyme disease by the polymerase chain reaction

Article Abstract:

Lyme disease is caused by the bite of a tick (Ixodes dammini) that is infected with a microorganism called Borrelia burgdorferi. Ticks that carry Lyme disease can be found on deer, in tall grass, and on shrubs and brush. The ticks are most active in the warm weather, which is when most of the cases of Lyme disease occur. The early stages of the disease begin within 3 to 30 days after the tick bite. The first symptom is a red bump at the site of the bite. The bump disappears within one week and a red circle or ring appears. This stage of the disease may be accompanied by fever, chills, headache, fatigue, and joint pain similar to arthritis. Lyme disease can be difficult to diagnose because of the wide variety of symptoms that it can cause. Blood tests have been used with some success in screening for Lyme disease. However, even though the microorganism may be present in the blood, joints and spinal fluid, it may be present in such small amounts that it cannot be detected using conventional laboratory tests. More recently, a very sensitive method for identifying microorganisms was developed. This technique is called the polymerase chain reaction (PCR). It can be used to identify very small amounts of bacterial DNA (the genetic material) in human blood, urine, semen, and tissues. When this technique was used to test blood samples from five patients with the characteristic red bump and circle of Lyme disease, the microorganism was identified in two of the five samples. It is concluded that PCR may be useful for routine testing for Lyme disease. (Consumer Summary produced by Reliance Medical Information, Inc.)

Usage, Diagnosis, Lyme disease, Identification and classification, Polymerase chain reaction, Borrelia burgdorferi, Tick-borne diseases

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A comparative study of therapeutic response of patients with clinical chancroid to ciprofloxacin, erythromycin, and cotrimoxazole

Article Abstract:

Cotrimoxazole should be abandoned as the drug of choice for chancroid. Chancroid is a form of genital ulcer. Cotrimoxazole is the usual treatment, but the disease is becoming resistant to it. Researchers randomly assigned 46 people with chancroid to take cotrimoxazole, ciprofloxacin or erythromycin. Ninety-three percent of the patients in the ciprofloxacin and erythromycin groups were cured, versus only 53% of the patients taking cotrimoxazole. Ciprofloxacin is probably better than erythromycin, since it is cheaper.

Evaluation, Drug therapy, Erythromycin, Co-trimoxazole, Trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (Drug combination), Ciprofloxacin, Chancroid

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