European Journal of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences

FREQUENCY OF BORRELIA BURGDORFERI WESTERN BLOT, ELISPOT AND LTT POSITIVITY AMONG AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDERS PATIENTS FROM TURKEY

Barbaros ÇET?N*

ABSTRACT

In Turkey, Borrelia burgdorferi infections are not well known among physicians and almost completely overlooked. On the other hand, a small number of seropositivity studies (3.3%-73%) show that Borrelia burgdorferi is common in Turkey. Only clinical criteria used for diagnosis. These criteria is also compatible with other diseases. Lyme disease is currently among them. It was evaluated 81patients, between ages 3 and 19, with a definite diagnosis of autism spectrum disorders, and it was founded positive Borrelia burgdorferi western blot, Elispot and LTT test results in 59 (72.7%) of them. Only 22 (27.3%) patients have negative test results. Of the patients with autism, 63 were males, 18 were females. The lyme test was positive for the mothers of some of the children who were tested.The results show that LYME disease is very common in Turkey and child and adolescens LYME patients with neurological symptoms are misdiagnosed with autism spectrum disorders.

Keywords: Lyme, Borrelia burgdorferi, Autism Spectrum Disorder, Turkey.