A mutagenic PCR identifies isolates of Borrelia garinii responsible for Lyme borreliosis

Borrelia garinii is one of the three major Borreliae responsible for Lyme b orreliosis in Europe. We have characterized a protein of B. garinii (VS102) and a genomic fragment from the gene encoding this protein was cloned. The DNA sequence of the fragment showed high homology with a known gene of B. burgdorferi sensu stricto. The protein encoded by this gene in B. burgdorfe ri sensu stricto is a phosphocarrier protein (histidine-containing protein) . A mutation T to G polymorphism at codon 57 was found to be specific to B. garinii. A PCR-based approach that allows the rapid detection of this muta tion made it possible to specifically discriminate B. garinii from other B. burgdorferi genospecies with high sensitivity and specificity. (C) 2000 Fe deration of European Microbiological Societies. Published by Elsevier Scien ce B.V. All rights reserved.