Host derived markers of Lyme disease
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Host-derived markers of Lyme disease and their diagnostic potential: A Discovery Study
IRAS ID
199388
Contact name
Greg Joyner
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Public Health England
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 6 months, 1 days
Research summary
Lyme disease (LD) is a multisystem infection caused by tick-borne spirochaetes of the Borrelia burgdorferii sensu lato group (Bb.). Human cases have increased steadily in the UK in recent years with over 1100 confirmed cases in 2013.
UK laboratory diagnosis of LD involves the two-tier serological approach: a C6 ELISA followed by confirmatory IgG and IgM line blots. The negative predictive value of the test has been challenged, particularly in early stage LD and in some chronic infections. There is considerable interest, therefore, in the development of improved diagnostic tests.
The main aim of the project is to identify new markers that could form the basis for improved tests.
Mass spectrometry based proteomics comparing serum samples from seropositive patients and healthy controls will attempt to identify biomarkers of infection (specific proteins which are indicative of disease) along with immune mediator profiling and antigen microarrays. In order to validate whether these biomarkers/biomarker patterns are specific to Lyme Disease, positive sera obtained from patient groups with infections caused by bacteria of similar morphology to Bb. and from diseases that share symptoms with LD, will be tested against the biomarker profile developed. Any markers that correlate with LD will be included in follow-up analysis.
REC name
East Midlands - Nottingham 2 Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
16/EM/0330
Date of REC Opinion
26 Jul 2016
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion