Circulating DNA and immune response characteristics in patients with early stages of tick-borne borreliosis
To assess the possibility of using circulating DNA diagnostic potential in tick-borne borreliosis, 61 patients and 60 healthy donors have been surveyed. With the purpose of establishment of immune response characteristics cytokine profile and antibodies level, specific to Borrelia burgdorferi s.l antigens were analyzed. At an early stage of tick-borne borreliosis induction of pro-inflammatory cytokines secretion and increase in csb-cirDNA concentration were revealed before the development of specific antibodies. Further increase in csb-cirDNA concentration was significantly associated with the appearance of high titers of antibodies specific to Borrelia burgdorferi s.l. and with anti-inflammatory cytokines secretion increase. The data obtained indicate that further study of the cirDNA concentration is promising to evaluate its applicability as the additional diagnostic criterion of tick-borne borreliosis.