More specific bands in the IgG western blot in sera from Scottish patients with suspected Lyme borreliosis.

Aims To identify further Western blot bands that may be specific in the diagnosis of Lyme borreliosis. Methods The Borrelia burgdorferi antibody profiles of 270 western blot positive patients and 241 western blot negative patients from 2008 were examined. Results 27 different non-specific bands were detected in both groups. Six of 27 (22%) of the non-specific bands were detected significantly more in the western blot positive patients compared to the western blot negative patients (20 kDa, p<0.0001; 28 kDa, p<0.002; 36 kDa, p<0.002; 37 kDa, p<0.007; 48 kDa, p<0.023; 56 kDa, p<0.028; two-tailed F test). Conclusion Results suggest that the 20, 28 and 48 kDa bands should be regarded as specific.