Genotypic and phenotypic characterisation of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato strains isolated from human blood

Citation
E. Ruzic-sabljic et al., Genotypic and phenotypic characterisation of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato strains isolated from human blood, J MED MICRO, 50(10), 2001, pp. 896-901
Citations number
31
Categorie Soggetti
Microbiology
Journal title
JOURNAL OF MEDICAL MICROBIOLOGY
ISSN journal
00222615 → ACNP
Volume
50
Issue
10
Year of publication
2001
Pages
896 - 901
Database
ISI
SICI code
0022-2615(200110)50:10<896:GAPCOB>2.0.ZU;2-K
Abstract
Lyme borreliosis often presents initially with erythema migrans. Borreliae may disseminate from the primary skin lesion, and different organs and syst ems could be affected. Borrelia strains were isolated from blood of 70 pati ents with Lyme borreliosis, including 10 patients from whom borreliae were also isolated from skin. The aim of the present study was to characterise t he isolates with regard to their phenotypic and genotypic characteristics. Borreliae were cultivated in MKP medium. Species identification and plasmid profiles were determined by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) and pr otein profiles by SDS-PAGE. Digestion of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato DN A showed 63 (90%) B. afzelii Mla1 and 7 (10%) B. garinii Mlg2. No B. burgdo rferi sensu stricto were isolated. Borreliae were isolated from both skin a nd blood of 10 patients, nine pairs of isolates were identical: seven B. af zelii and two B. garinii. B. afzelii was isolated from the skin and B. gari nii from blood of the tenth patient. All but one isolate possessed at least one large plasmid and varying numbers of smaller plasmids. Eight (11.4%) o f 70 isolates possessed an unusual plasmid profile (2 of 63 B. afzelii and 6 of 7 B. garinii). Borreliae differed in their protein profiles. OspA and OspB proteins were expressed by all A afzelii isolates; 85.7% of B. garinii isolates expressed OspA and 71.4% expressed OspB. OspC was expressed by 65 % of B. afzelii isolates and all B garinii isolates. The ratios of B. afzel ii and B. garinii isolated from blood and skin were similar. These results do not support the hypothesis that B. garinii has a higher propensity for h aematogenous dissemination than B. afzelii. Antigen diversity as well as sp ecies and plasmid heterogeneity could play a role in the pathogenesis of th e infection, suggesting distinctive strain organotropism.