DETERMINATION OF LYME DISEASE AGENT BY ENZYME-LINKED IMMUNOSORBENT ASSAY
Lyme disease is a seasonal tick-borne malady which has worldwide distribution. An antigen-capture enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was developed for detecting isolates of Borrelia burgdorferi in adult ticks. The assay uses an polyclonal antibody for antigen capture and polyclonal sera with horseradish peroxidase for signal generation. The assay recognized B. afzelii and B. garinii strains. The assay has sensitivity of less than 130 spirochetes in sample. The assay did not cross-react with spirochete antigens of Escherichia ^li but cross-react with Leptospira kirschneri antigens.