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Background: Only about 30 cases of borrelial lymphocytoma (BL) with identification of the causative species of Borrelia have been published to date, mainly from Eastern or Central European countries., Objectives: To identify the species of B. burgdorferi complex responsible for BL in France., Methods: Nine patients with BL acquired in France and for whom skin samples were sent to the national reference centre laboratory between 1994 and 2007 were included in this retrospective study. Direct detection of Borrelia in skin samples was made by polymerase chain reaction targeting the fla gene. Culture was performed when technically possible, and identification of each species was made by hybridization of a fragment of the fla gene with a panel of species-specific oligonucleotides., Results: Borrelia afzelii was identified in three cases, B. garinii and B. burgdorferi sensu stricto in one case each. Culture was positive in only one case (B. garinii)., Conclusions: Borrelia afzelii seems to be the predominant species of Borrelia responsible for BL in France, as already reported in other European countries.

Lyme borreliosis is the most common human tick-borne disease in the Northern Hemisphere. The prevalence of Lyme borreliosis is estimated to be 20-100 cases per 100,000 persons in the United States and 100-155 cases per 100,000 persons in Europe [ 1 , 2 ]. It is caused by the spirochete Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato [ 2 , 3 ]. The course of clinical manifestations is thought to occur in 3 stages: early, disseminated, and chronic [ 2 , 4 ]. Lyme borreliosis can cause a variety of ocular manifestations, and the frequency of these manifestations among cases of Lyme disease involving systemic manifestations is approximately 1% [ 5 ].

Background: The long-term prognosis of patients treated for erythema migrans has only rarely been assessed., Objectives: To evaluate the clinical characteristics and long-term prognosis of patients treated for erythema migrans in the region of Alsace, France., Methods: In a prospective study, 56 consecutive patients presenting with erythema migrans at the Strasbourg University Hospital between 1995 and 1999 were examined and a Borrelia burgdorferi enzyme immunoassay was performed. Patients were treated with tetracyclines or amoxycillin. Patients were re-examined 6 weeks later and a telephone interview was performed in summer 2000 to evaluate the long-term outcome., Results: There were 25 women and 31 men of mean age 49 years presenting with single (n = 54) or multiple (n = 2) erythema migrans lesions. At the time of diagnosis, 30% of the patients had systemic signs, myalgias or arthralgias and only 36% of 50 patients were seroreactive against B. burgdorferi. None of the 51 patients evaluated at 6 weeks and none of the 37 patients interviewed after a median delay of 3 years had developed complications attributable to Lyme borreliosis., Conclusions: The prognosis of patients treated for Lyme borreliosis in this part of France is excellent. Therefore, a complete clinical examination is sufficient as an initial evaluation and long-term follow-up is not necessary.

This study investigates the seroreactivity to Borrelia burgdorferi antigens of patients suffering from rheumatoid arthritis (RA) for < 5 yr. Subjects were matched with controls for age, sex and area of residence in order to minimize the risk of differential exposure to B. burgdorferi. A total of 57 pairs were tested by immunofluorescence assay (IFA) and Western blotting. Only two RA patients showed positive IFA results, and another was positive by Western blot analysis. No significant difference in Lyme seropositivity was detected between cases and controls using either serological test. Furthermore, no significant difference in antibody response was observed to specific or non-specific proteins (e.g. Osp C, 93 kDa protein, flagellin, heat shock proteins). These results do not support the previous suggestions that B. burgdorferi may be involved in the aetiology of RA, or that RA favours the production of antibodies that cross-react with B. burgdorferi proteins.

Dot blot hybridization was used to screen 820 staphylococci for the presence of the gene coding for TSST-1. The DNA of 33 strains among 70 Staph. aureus strains isolated from suspected toxic shock syndrome (TSS) cases hybridized with the probe. These results agreed perfectly with those obtained with a phenotypic method (immunodiffusion). Among 608 Staph. aureus strains isolated over a period of one month from hospitalized patients, 66 (11%) hybridized with the probe; of these strains, 64 (97%) were found to produce TSST-1 in vitro. None of 145 coagulase-negative staphylococcal strains harboured DNA hybridizing with the probe. The data indicate that this genotypic assay is suitable for epidemiological studies.