Comparison of the Euroimmun Borrelia 'antibody index' with Virotech immunoblot-based detection of intrathecal Borrelia antibody production for the diagnosis of Lyme neuroborreliosis

Eur J Clin Microbiol Infect Dis. 2022 Jan;41(1):155-161. doi: 10.1007/s10096-021-04343-x. Epub 2021 Sep 13.

Abstract

For diagnosis of neuroborreliosis, calculation of the antibody index, based on Euroimmun Anti-Borrelia plus VlsE ELISA was compared to Virotech Borrelia Europe plus TpN17 immunoblot-based detection of Borrelia-specific intrathecal antibody production. CXCL13 results in cerebrospinal fluid were used to evaluate discordant results. A total of 64 serum/CSF pairs were analysed. Patients were classified according to European Federation of Neurological Societies criteria incorporating Virotech results. For the Euroimmun assay, a sensitivity of 100% and specificity of 94% was found. Agreement between the both tests was almost perfect (κ 0.81). Both methods are appropriate for the detection of Borrelia-specific intrathecal antibody production.

Keywords: Antibody index; CXCL13; Euroimmun; Immunoblot; Neuroborreliosis; Virotech.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Antibodies, Bacterial / analysis*
  • Antibodies, Bacterial / blood
  • Borrelia / immunology*
  • Borrelia / isolation & purification
  • Chemokine CXCL13 / analysis
  • Chemokine CXCL13 / immunology
  • Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / methods*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Immunoblotting / methods*
  • Lyme Neuroborreliosis / blood
  • Lyme Neuroborreliosis / cerebrospinal fluid
  • Lyme Neuroborreliosis / diagnosis*
  • Lyme Neuroborreliosis / microbiology
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Young Adult

Substances

  • Antibodies, Bacterial
  • Chemokine CXCL13