SEROPROTECTIVE GROUPS AMONG ISOLATES OF BORRELIA-BURGDORFERI

We demonstrated that different seroprotective groups exist among isola tes of Borrelia burgdorferi and Borrelia garinii. The major group was composed of isolates 297, B31, S-1-10, MMTI, IPT, and ATCC 35211 and 2 1 isolates obtained from California, Illinois, New York, Texas, and Wi sconsin. A second group was composed of European isolates PBi and G25. A third group was composed of a single isolate, C-1-11. These groupin gs were supported by Western immunoblot findings. In addition, the ser oprotective groups were confirmed by passive transfer of immune sera a nd challenge of recipient hamsters with the homologous isolate or othe r isolates of B. burgdorferi or B. garinii. These studies demonstrate that a monovalent vaccine will not provide complete protection against infection with all isolates of B. burgdorferi.