1.B. burgdorferi sensu stricto has not been observed in Japan, 2. Japanese B. afzelii isolates are closely related to those from Europe, 3. B. garinii isolates from Japan are highly heterogeneous and apparently different from European B. garinii isolates.

Monoclonal antibodies for identification of Borrelia japonica isolated from tick, Ixodes ovatus and long-tailed shrew, Sorex unguiculatus in Japan and Borrelia related to Lyme disease (Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato) were prepared and characterized. All isolates belonging to B. japonica and isolates from I. dentatus and cottontail rabbit in North America reacted with MAb 01441b against flagellin which was prepared from immunized mice with strain HO14, type strain of B. japonica, but isolates from I. persulcatus, patient, and wood mouse, Apodemus speciosus ainu, in Japan, and isolates belonging to B. burgdorferi, B. garinii and B. afzelii from North America and Europe did not. Strains used in this study reacted with MAb P62 against common antigen which was prepared from immunized mice with strain NT24 isolated from I. persulcatus in Japan, but B. japonica did not. These MAbs are useful for identification and differentiation of B. japonica and B. burgdorferi sensu lato in Japan.

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