Sd. Lovrich et al., ABILITIES OF OSPA PROTEINS FROM DIFFERENT SEROPROTECTIVE GROUPS OF BORRELIA-BURGDORFERI TO PROTECT HAMSTERS FROM INFECTION, Infection and immunity, 63(6), 1995, pp. 2113-2119
The ability of vaccination with recombinant OspA from six seroprotecti
ve groups of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu late to induce protection agai
nst infection with homologous and other Lyme spirochetes was examined
in hamsters. Antisera generated against the OspA proteins of B. burgdo
rferi sensu stricto S-1-10 and C-1-11 (seroprotective groups 1 and 2,
respectively), Borrelia afzelii BV1 (seroprotective group 4), and Borr
elia garinii LV4 (seroprotective group 5) were able to kill the homolo
gous spirochete in vitro but not other isolates. Surprisingly, antiser
a against B. afzelii PKo (seroprotective group 6) and B. burgdorferi s
ensu late LV5 (seroprotective group 3) OspA proteins were unable to ki
ll the homologous organism, although LV5 OspA antisera killed the hete
rologous isolates S-1-10 and LV4. In vivo vaccination studies supporte
d the in vitro findings, confirming that vaccination with a single Osp
A protein does not provide complete protection against challenge with
all Lyme disease spirochetes. In addition, OspA antibodies from some i
solates may not protect against the homologous isolate. The induction
of protective antibodies against other B. burgdorferi proteins may be
necessary to insure a comprehensive Lyme disease vaccine.