ACQUIRED-RESISTANCE TO BORRELIA-BURGDORFERI INFECTION IN THE RABBIT -COMPARISON BETWEEN OUTER SURFACE PROTEIN-A VACCINE-DERIVED AND INFECTION-DERIVED IMMUNITY
Dm. Foley et al., ACQUIRED-RESISTANCE TO BORRELIA-BURGDORFERI INFECTION IN THE RABBIT -COMPARISON BETWEEN OUTER SURFACE PROTEIN-A VACCINE-DERIVED AND INFECTION-DERIVED IMMUNITY, The Journal of clinical investigation, 99(8), 1997, pp. 2030-2035
Intradermal inoculation of the rabbit with Borrelia burgdorferi, sensu
lato, results in the consistent development of erythema migrans (EM),
dermal infection, and visceral dissemination of the spirochete. Withi
n 5 mo, EM as well as dermal and visceral infection are cleared and th
e animals exhibit immunity to reinfection. This study compares infecti
on-derived immunity with acquired resistance resulting from the admini
stration of a lipidated recombinant outer surface protein A (OspA) vac
cine presently undergoing human trial. 4 of 11 OspA vaccinated rabbits
, challenged intradermally at each of 10 sites with 10(5) low passage
B. burgdorferi, developed EM as well as dermal and disseminated infect
ion. After identical challenge, 2 of the 11 infection-immune rabbits d
eveloped a dermal infection, but not EM or disseminated infection. Fur
ther, ELISA anti-OspA titers did not correlate with the status of immu
nity for either OspA vaccinated or infection-immune rabbits. Prechalle
nge ELISA anti-OspA titers were relatively low in the infection-immune
group. This study demonstrates that a state of partial immunity to ex
perimental Lyme disease may result that could potentially mask infecti
on. Further, our data strongly suggest that immunogen(s) other than Os
pA is/are responsible for stimulating acquired resistance in the infec
tion-immune rabbit.