ANTIBODY-RESPONSE OF THE MOUSE RESERVOIR OF BORRELIA-BURGDORFERI IN NATURE

To determine whether the white-footed mouse reservoir host (Peromyscus leucopus) of the agent of Lyme disease (Borrelia burgdorferi) natural ly mounts an immune response against the full range of antigens expres sed by this zoonotic pathogen, we analyzed the pattern of immunoreacti vity of these rodents at sites in which the intensity of transmission differs. Although the incidence of seroconversion within the reservoir population relates proportionally to the density of subadult deer tic ks (Ixodes dammini), seroprevalence appears constant. About a fifth as many juvenile mice recognize spirochete antigens as do adult mice. Vi rtually ah reservoir mice in nature recognize the p20, p35.5, p39, and p58 antigens, regardless of the intensity of transmission. Seropositi ve mice retain reactivity to a wide range of spirochetal antigens. Few mice recognize flagellin, OspB, and OspC. Although a third of serum s amples include reactivity to a 31-kDa band, this reaction is irregular and may represent an uncharacterized antigen that comigrates with Osp A Mite captured where transmission is intense recognize the same spect rum of antigens as do mice captured where vector ticks are scarce.