TABLE 2.
Comparison of plasma (EDTA) and serum cultures for recovery of B. burgdorferi in 42 adult patients with erythema migransa
| Parameter | Plasma | Serum | P value |
|---|---|---|---|
| No. of culture-positive patients/total (%) | 20/42 (48) | 7/42 (17) | 0.005 |
| No. of culture positive samples/total (%) | 42/126 (33) | 16/126 (13) | <0.001 |
| No. of culture-positive patients with all 3 samples positive/total (%) | 9/20 (45) | 4/7 (57) | 0.68 |
| No. of culture-positive patients with 2 of 3 samples positive/total (%) | 4/20 (20) | 1/7 (14) | 1.0 |
| No. of culture-positive patients with 1 of 3 samples positive/total (%) | 7/20 (35) | 2/7 (29) | 1.0 |
a
Three 3-ml aliquots of plasma (9 ml) and three 3-ml aliquots of serum (9 ml) were cultured per patient.