Use of peroxidase-labelled antigen for the detection of antibodies to Borrelia burgdorferi in human and animal sera.

We have developed a modified ELISA for the detection of anti-Borrelia burgdorferi (Bb) antibodies based on a peroxidase enzyme labelled antigen (ELAT). Microtiter plates were coated with antigen of Bb. The immunoglobulins of the serum samples were bound to the antigen and specific antibodies were detected by an enzyme labelled antigen. The test principle facilitates the recognition of specific antibodies in different collectives of human and animal sera. We performed epidemiological studies with the ELAT on 231 sera from mothers in maternity wards (9.5% positive), 219 patient sera sent to the Bb routine diagnostics (15% positive) and 230 sera from forestry workers (21.3% positive). We further investigated sera from red deer from South Lower Saxony which remained 55% Bb-antibody positive; deer were 37% and fallow deer were 29% positive.