Borrelia burgdorferi antibodies in multiple sclerosis patients

Lyme disease is said to produce a late syndrome resembling multiple sclerosis. We analyzed serum antibodies to Borrelia burgdorferiin 100 patients referred for possible MS. All lived in an area endemic for Lyme dbase. Only 1of 89 definite MS patients and 2 of 11 non-MS patienta were antibody positive. Infection with Borrelia burgdorferi is rare in MS, and Lyme disease is unlikely to play a significant role in the differential diagnosis of MS.