Exploring the association between Morgellons disease and Lyme disease: identification of Borrelia burgdorferi in Morgellons disease patients

Table 2 Microscopic examination of dermatological tissue sections with Dieterle or Warthin Starry silver nitrate stain and anti-Bb polyclonal immunostain

Patient #	Dieterle	Bb-polyclonal immunostain	Filaments morphologically consistent with MD
1	Spirochetes observed	*Positive	Detected
2	Spirochetes observed	*Positive	Detected
3	Spirochetes observed	*Positive	Detected
4	Spirochetes observed	*Positive	Detected
5	Spirochetes not observed	**Positive	Detected
8	Spirochetes observed	Positive	Detected
10	Spirochetes observed	Positive	Detected
11	Spirochetes observed	Positive	Detected
12	Spirochetes observed	Positive	Detected
13	Spirochetes observed	Positive	Detected
15	Spirochetes observed	Positive	Detected
16	Spirochetes observed	Positive	Detected
18	Spirochetes observed	Positive	Detected
19	Spirochetes observed	Positive	Detected
20	Spirochetes observed	Positive	Detected
22	Spirochetes observed	Positive	Detected
23	Spirochetes observed	Positive	Detected
24	Spherules consistent with Bb morphological variants observed	Positive	Detected
25	Spirochetes observed	Positive	Detected

Dieterle and or Warthin-Starry silver nitrate staining performed at Interscope Laboratories, Los Angeles, CA, and or McClain Laboratories, Smithtown, NY.
Bb polyclonal immunostaining performed at McClain Laboratories.
*Polyclonal Bb immunostaining performed at University of New Haven, West Haven, CT and McClain Laboratories.
**Sectioned specimen consisted of hair follicular bulbs with attached root sheaths rather than skin. Polyclonal Bb immunostaining performed at the University of New Haven.

ISSN: 1471-5945