Role of Borrelia burgdorferi in the pathogenesis of morphea/scleroderma and lichen sclerosus et atrophicus: a PCR study of thirty-five cases

Morphea (localized scleroderma), and lichen sclerosus et atrophicus (LSA) share common features with acrodermatitis chronica atrophicans (ACA), a known chronic form of borreliosis. These include similar histologic findings such as diffuse dermal fibrosis. These observations have led several investig...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:	Journal of cutaneous pathology Vol. 23; no. 4; p. 350
Main Authors:	De Vito, J R, Merogi, A J, Vo, T, Boh, E E, Fung, H K, Freeman, S M, Cockerell, C, Stewart, K, Marrogi, A J
Format:	Journal Article
Language:	English
Published:	United States 01-08-1996
Subjects:	Adult Aged Aged, 80 and over Base Sequence - genetics Borrelia burgdorferi Group - genetics Borrelia burgdorferi Group - isolation & purification Borrelia burgdorferi Group - pathogenicity Child DNA, Bacterial - analysis Female Humans Infant Lichen Sclerosus et Atrophicus - genetics Lichen Sclerosus et Atrophicus - microbiology Lichen Sclerosus et Atrophicus - physiopathology Male Middle Aged Polymerase Chain Reaction - methods Scleroderma, Localized - genetics Scleroderma, Localized - microbiology Scleroderma, Localized - physiopathology
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Summary:	Morphea (localized scleroderma), and lichen sclerosus et atrophicus (LSA) share common features with acrodermatitis chronica atrophicans (ACA), a known chronic form of borreliosis. These include similar histologic findings such as diffuse dermal fibrosis. These observations have led several investigators to consider the possibility of Borrelia burgdorferi (Bb) as a common etiologic factor among all of these diseases. The aim of this study is to investigate the role of Bb in the pathogenesis of morphea and LSA, by assaying for its presence in lesional skin biopsies from patients with these diseases. We utilized the nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technique to selectively amplify a longer segment of a Bb-specific somatic gene, on DNA from paraffin-embedded, formalin-fixed tissues. The results revealed no Bb-specific DNA sequence in 28 specimens of morphea/scleroderma and 7 of LSA with varying stages of disease. Furthermore, confirmatory Southern blot of the PCR product, resulted in similar findings. These data seriously question the role played by this spirochete in the pathogenesis of morphea and LSA, at least in the southeastern part of the USA.
ISSN:	0303-6987
DOI:	10.1111/j.1600-0560.1996.tb01309.x