Lyme disease and localized scleroderma--no evidence for a common aetiology
Lupoli, S.; Cutler, S.J.; Stephens, C.O.; Wright, D.J.; Black, C.M.
British Journal of Rheumatology 30(2): 154-156
1991
ISSN/ISBN: 0263-7103 PMID: 2012951 Document Number: 369726
The clinical and histological features of localized scleroderma or morphoea suggest a possible infective cause. As the early inflammatory and later fibrotic stages of morphoea clinically resemble erythema migrans, recent reports have suggested that there might be a relationship between antibodies to Borrelia burgdorferi and morphoea. Because of this, 31 patients with localized scleroderma, 15 with Lyme disease, and 24 healthy controls were investigated. Anti-Borrelia antibodies were identified using an ELISA and borderline results were retested using an immunoblotting method. The results showed no evidence for B. burgdorferi being the aetiological agent for localized scleroderma.