Basic biochemical and cytological examination and evaluation of immunoglobulins, inflammatory reactants, markers of compression, markers of tissue destruction, complement and proteinase inhibitors was performed on 62 samples of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) in patients with neuroborreliosis hospitalised at the Department of Neurology of the 1 st Medical Faculty of Charles University, Prague. The control group was formed by 326 samples of CSF with normal findings. The most significant abnormalities in the investigated group compared with the standard, concerning protein fractions, were manifested especially in general inflammatory markers (orosomucoid, haptoglobin, transferrin, prealbumin, antitrypsin), elevated in up to 56 percent of samples, and also in apolipoproteins as markers of tissue destruction, elevated in 53 percent. An increase of the immunoglobulin level was recorded in up to 66 percent of CSF samples. The cell number, counted in a Fuchs-Rosenthal chamber as part of the quantitative cytological examination, was elevated in 50 percent, tissue destruction signalised by the presence of lipophages was found in 29 percent of cases, plasma cells were observed in 37 percent of CSF. The qualitative cytological investigation proved to be the most sensitive method as pathological findings were revealed in 85 percent of samples. Key words: neuroborreliosis, CSF protein fractions, cytology of cerebrospinal fluid.

        Key words: neuroborreliosis, CSF protein fractions, cytology of cerebrospinal fluid.