Tick-borne Relapsing Fever
Aiding in the diagnosis of Borrelia miyamotoi infection in conjunction with clinical findings
Preferred method for detection of B miyamotoi using blood specimens
Send whole blood specimen in original tube. Do not aliquot.
Gross hemolysis
Gross lipemia
Inadequate specimen collection or improper storage may invalidate test results.
After adequate treatment, Borrelia miyamotoi DNA may remain detectable for an unknown period of time.
Borrelia miyamotoi is a spirochetal bacterium, closely related to the Borrelia species that causes tick-borne relapsing fever (TBRF), and it is more distantly related to the Borrelia species that cause Lyme disease. This organism causes a febrile illness like TBRF, with body and join pain, fatigue, and, rarely, rash. B miyamotoi has been detected in Ixodes scapularis and Ixodes pacificus ticks. These ticks are also the vectors for Lyme disease, anaplasmosis, and babesiosis.
The preferred method for detecting B miyamotoi is real-time polymerase chain reaction. Less sensitive and specific methods for detecting B miyamotoi and agents of TBRF include serologic testing and identification of spirochetes in peripheral blood films or spinal fluid preparations. This assay does not detect the Borrelia species that cause Lyme disease.
A positive result indicates the presence of Borrelia miyamotoi DNA and is consistent with active or recent infection. While positive results are highly specific indicators of disease, they should be correlated with symptoms and clinical findings of tick-borne relapsing fever.