Detection of anti-Borrelia and anti-Babesia antibodies in the serum of children with clinical manifestation and compatible epidemiology with Lyme-Like disease in the State of Mato Grosso do Sul

Abstract

The occurence of clinical and laboratory manifestations similar to the Lyme disease and the coinfection with babesiosis was already demonstrated in previous researches with adult patients. However, there are no studies in children. Objective: To identify the clinical-epidemiological profile of the Lyme Simile Syndrome in children of the State of Mato Grosso do Sul and to evaluate the prevalence of antibodies against Borrelia burgdorferi and Babesia bovis in the serum of patients that had fulfilled the established criteria. Methods: One hundred patients (age range: 9 months and 16 years-old) were screened for the presence of those antibodies, using ELISA, comparing to a control group. Results: Antibodies against B. burgdoferi were found in 27% of the patients with a clinical picture. The articular manifestations occurred in 21 patients, cutaneous in 3 and neurological in 3. The prevalency in the control group was 15% (p < 0.05). The antibodies for Babesia bovis were present in 24% of suspect patients and in 3% of the control group (p < 0.05). Concomitance of the two antibodies occurred in 10 patients with clinical suspect and no one of control group. Conclusion: The results found in this study suggest the infective and reactive character of the clinical manifestations of the patients, which can characterize a Syndrome, which possibly occurs in the presence of multiple microorganisms that can be associated with tick-borne. It was found a higher frequency of antibodies against borrelia and babesia in patients in relation to the controls. Although small, this difference was statistically significant. This finding does not certify that the clinical features of patients is caused by species of borrelia or babesia, but raised the possibility of involvement of some infectious agent that could be related to these micro-organisms. The studies should continue in order to improve the delineation of this syndrome and to try the isolation of the etiologic agent in our State.