National Reference Center (NRC) for Borrelia spp.

Important message

Tests should be requested with the fully completed NRC form indicating clinical and anamnestic reasons. If no serological test or other confirmation test is requested, all tests performed by the NRC will be considered subcontracting and payment will be requested according to the normal NIHDI procedure.

More information? 

For more information regarding the operation of the NRC Borrelia spp. Please contact the following website: https://uclouvain.be/fr/instituts-recherche/irec/mblg/cnr-borrelia.html

Publications

1. Carette T., Lebrun L., Kabamba-Mukadi B., Raymackers J.M., and Bayart J.L.. Borrelia spielmanii–Associated Neuroborreliosis in Patient Receiving Rituximab, Belgium. Volume 31, Number 2 — February 2025. doi: 10.3201/eid3102.240777 (IF 2024 : 7,2).
2. Rousseau R, Mori M, Kabamba B, Vanwambeke S.O.. Tick abundance and infection with three zoonotic bacteria are heterogeneous in a Belgian peri-urban forest. Exp Appl Acarol. 2024 Jun;93(1):49-69. doi: 10.1007/s10493-024-00919-2. Epub 2024 Jun 13.
3. De Bont E, Lagrou K, Depypere M. (2022). Comparison of the Euroimmun Borrelia ‘antibody index’ with Virotech immunoblot-based detection of intrathecal Borrelia antibody production for the diagnosis of Lyme neuroborreliosis. Eur J Clin Microbiol Infect Dis. 2022 Jan;41(1):155-161. doi: 10.1007/s10096-021-04343-x.
4. Billiet A, Vanderschueren S, Lagrou K, Pilate T, Fournier PE, Luciani L, Henckaerts L. (2022). Tick borne relapsing fever after travelling to a Greek island. J Travel Med. 2022 Mar 21;29(2):taab073. doi: 10.1093/jtm/taab073.
5. Depypere M, Tonsent M, Lernout T, Cuypers L, Kabamba-Mukadi B. (2021). Evaluation of three years implementation of CXCL13 for diagnosis of Lyme neuroborreliosis at the National Reference Center Lyme Borreliosis in Belgium. ePoster at 31st ECCMID (July 9-12, 2021).
6. De Cauwer H, Lagrou K, Coeckelbergh E, Bogaerts A, Leenders J, Vanneste D. (2019). Active neuroborreliosis or inflammation: are the diagnostic guidelines at stake? Acta Neurol Belg. 2019 Jun;119(2):207-214. doi: 10.1007/s13760-018-01067-2.

Helpful links:

At the bottom of this page, you can find the NRC reports.

You can consult the epidemiological surveillance reports also at: Health topic Lyme disease, Health topic Tick-borne diseases, Health topic Vector-borne diseases.

The slides of the information session (16-11-2023) regarding the activities of the NRC Borrelia burgdorferi can also be consulted via: Information session November 2023