Successful Cultivation of Spirochetes from Skin Lesions of Patients With Erythema Chronicum Migrans Afzelius and Acrodermatitis Chronica Atrophicans

Abstract

Spirochetes could be cultivated from 9 of 13 skin biopsies from patients with erythema chronicum migrans Afzelius (ECMA) and from 2 of 5 biopsies from patients with acrodermatitis chronica atrophicans (ACA) by using modified serumless Kelly''s medium. The different spirochete strains grew best at a low O2 tension. Attempts to grow spirochetes from blood and cerebrospinal fluid failed. The cultivation of spirochetes from secondary ECMA lesions favors the presumption that a spirochetemia may occur in ECMA. The isolation of spirochetes from an ACA patient who had a disease duration of > 10 yr proves the spirochetes may survive in the human body for a considerable time.