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Medical AI Inquiry: You was designed to assist in medical decision-making based on the provided user questions. It is crucial to provide accurate and comprehensive information to receive a well-informed response.  Labels: BACKGROUND, OBJECTIVE, METHODS, RESULTS. Meshes: Acute Disease, Adolescent, Adult, Bacterial Proteins, Borrelia, Borrelia Infections, Brazil, Case-Control Studies, Female, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Polymerase Chain Reaction.
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Does amplification of the flgE gene provide evidence for the existence of a Brazilian borreliosis? Context: The symptoms of Brazilian borreliosis resemble the clinical manifestations of Lyme disease (LD). However, there are differences between the two in terms of epidemiological and laboratory findings. Primers usually employed to diagnose LD have failed to detect Borrelia strains in Brazil. We aimed to identify the Brazilian Borrelia using a conserved gene that synthesizes the flagellar hook (flgE) of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato. Three patients presenting with erythema migrans and positive epidemiological histories were recruited for the study. Blood samples were collected, and the DNA was extracted by commercial kits. The gene flgE was amplified from DNA of all selected patients. Upon sequencing, these positive samples revealed 99% homology to B. burgdorferi flgE.
assistant
These results support the existence of borreliosis in Brazil. However, it is unclear whether this borreliosis is caused by a genetically modified B. burgdorferi sensu stricto or by a new species of Borrelia spp. Final Decision: yes