The bacteria that causes Lyme Disease initially was isolated and
cultured from the mid-gut of Ixodes ticks, and subsequently from patients with
Lyme disease. The infecting agent was first isolated by Willy Burgdorfer, a
scientist at the National Institute of Health who specialized in the study of
spirochete microorganisms. This gave this spirochete its name, Borrelia
burgdorferi.
Borrelia burgdorferi resembles other spirochetes in that it is a highly
specialized, motile, two-membrane, spiral-shaped bacterium which lives primarily
as an extracellular pathogen. One of the most striking features of Borrelia
burgdorferi as compared with other eubacteria is its unusual genome, which
includes a linear chromosome approximately one megabase in size and numerous
linear and circular plasmids.
Long-term culture of Borrelia burgdorferi results in a loss of some plasmids and
changes in expressed protein profiles. Associated with the loss of plasmids is a
loss in the ability of the organism to infect laboratory animals, suggesting
that the plasmids encode key genes involved in virulence.
Borrelia burgdorferi may persist in humans and animals for months or years
following initial infection, despite a robust humoral immune response.
Borrelia burgdorferi is susceptible to antibiotics in vitro, however, there are
contradictory reports as to the efficacy of antibiotics in vivo in regard to
complete eradication of the bacterium from the host.
Borrelia burgdoferi have been found in skin specimens of white footed mice in
museum specimens as far back as the 1870's in Massachusetts, USA.
Consequent to the apparent long term infection, considerable attention has
focused on the development of a vaccine for Lyme disease.
Current evidence suggests humoral immunity plays an important role in prevention
of infection and resolution of disease; however, one of the difficulties in
developing a meaningful strategy for immunization is that it is not understood
what aspects of humoral and cell-mediated immunity are required to counter
established infection
It is caused by the bacterium Borrelia, which has well over a hundred known
genomic strains but is usually cultured as Borrelia burgdorferi, Borrelia
afzelii and Borellia garinii.
The disease has been found to be transmitted to humans by the bite of infected
ticks. Not all ticks carry or can transmit the disease.
Lyme disease also incorporates the transmissions of tick borne co-infections
including Bartonella, Babesiosis, Ehrlichiosis, and Rickettsia
Morgellons Research Foundation Com