Comparison in the immunological properties ofBorrelia burgdorferiisolates fromIxodes ricinusderived from three endemic areas in Switzerland

Abstract

SUMAIMARYBorrelia burgdorferi isolates were obtained from Ixodes ricinus from three sites in Switzerland. They were examined by SDS-PAGE and immunoblotting. The phenotypes, in respect of three outer surface proteins (Osp), differed between the sites of collection. In site 1, most isolates had an OspA of 31 kDa and an OspB of 34 kDa; in site 2, isolates presenting an OspA of 33 kDa dominated and in site 3, the isolates with an OspA of 32 kDa and an OspB of 35 kDa were most frequent. This distribution differed significantly. About half of the isolates from sites 1 and 3 reacted with anti-OspA monoclonal antibody H5332 compared to 29 % from site 2. Site 1 isolates reacted significantly more frequently (81 %) with another antiOspA monoclonal antibody LA-31 than isolates from site 3 (P < 0 0001). These findings have implications for the epidemiology of Lyme borreliosis, for the further development of serodiagnostic reagents and for the development of a vaccine.

Strain Variation of Lyme Disease Spirochetes Isolated from Ixodes ricinus Ticks and Rodents Collected in Two Endemic Areas in Switzerland

“…This confirms the results observed in previous studies, showing a great diversity among B. burgdorferi strains isolated from ticks from endemic foci (Hu et al 1994a;O.R, unpublished data). One of the female ticks collected in Thun was infected by more than one phenotype.…”

“…This study was prompted by the results of a previous investigation showing that various B. burgdorferi strains may be present in an endemic area (Boerlin et al 1992, Peter and and that some phenotypes may be more frequent in some foci than in others (Hu et al 1994a). In nature, B. burgdorferi is maintained by tick-vertebrate transmission.…”

“…These genomic species can be routinely identified by monoclonal antibodies (Canica et al 1993). Besides, recent studies have demonstrated that various phenotypes of B. hurgdorferi are present in the tick population of one endemic area (Peter andBretz 1992, Boerlin et al 1992) and that their distribution greatly differ from one area to another (Hu et al 1994a). The reason for such a diversity in a focus remains unknown but could be caused by the presence and frequency of various reservoir hosts.…”

Efficient Transmission of Borrelia burgdorferi Between Cofeeding Ixodes ricinus Ticks (Acari: Ixodidae)

“…Because I. ricinus ticks may be infected by different B. burgdorferi species (Hu et al 1994), cofeeding transmission of various spirochetes may occur between I. ricinus ticks infected by different B. burgdorferi species, allowing exchange of spirochetes among ticks, and may partly explain the presence of different B. burgdorferi phenotypes/ genotypes in 1 tick, as observed in adult I. ricinus ticks .…”

Transmission of Borrelia garinii OspA Serotype 4 to BALB/c Mice by Ixodes ricinus Ticks Collected in the Field

“…The PCR products were analyzed by the RFLP technique using the MseI restriction endonuclease to identify the genospecies of B. burgdorferi sensu lato. Sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and Western blot analysis were performed (9). Monoclonal antibodies were used for B. garinii serotyping (27).…”