Summary
Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato, the etiological agent of Lyme borreliosis is considerably heterogeneous in Europe. Since the outer surface proteins OspA and OspC are the most promising candidates for aBorrelia vaccine the immunological heterogeneity of these proteins was investigated. By immunological analysis with monoclonal antibodies and sequence analysis of PCR amplified OspA and OspC at least seven and 16 different types, respectively, were found. Whereas skin isolates (n=68) were quite homogeneous (84% belonged to OspA-serotype 2 orBorrelia afzelii), isolates from human cerebrospinal fluid and from ticks (n=43 and n=90 respectively) were highly heterogeneous in their OspA-serotypes with prevalence of theBorrelia garinii associated types (about 70%). OspA-type 4 was often found among isolates from cerebrospinal fluid (28%). In ticks type 4 OspA has not been detected by culture so far. However, as reported in a previous study, type 4 OspA could be detected in ticks by the highly sensitive PCR technique.
Zusammenfassung
Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato, der Erreger der Lyme-Borreliose, ist in Europa ausgesprochen heterogen. Da die äußeren Membranproteine OspA und OspC die Hauptkandidaten für eine Borrelien-Vakzine sind, wurde deren immunologische und molekulare Heterogenität untersucht. Aufgrund von Westernblotanalysen mit monoklonalen Antikörpern und Sequenzanalysen von PCR-amplifiziertem OspA und OspC fanden wir sieben verschiedene OspA- und 16 verschiedene OspC-Typen. Während Hautisolate (n=68) ganz vorwiegend (84%) OspA-Serotyp 2 (oderBorrelia afzelii) angehörten, waren Isolate aus Liquor cerebrospinalis und von Zecken (n=43 bzw. n=90) ausgesprochen heterogen im OspA-Typ mit Prävalenz der mitBorrelia garinii assoziierten OspA-Typen. OspA-Typ 4 fand sich oft bei Liquorisolaten (28%). Von Zecken wurde OspA-Typ 4 bisher nicht isoliert. Wie in einer anderen Studie berichtet, konnte jedoch Typ 4-OspA in Zecken mit der hochsensitiven PCR nachgewiesen werden.
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Wilske, B., Busch, U., Fingerle, V. et al. Immunological and molecular variability of OspA and OspC. implications forBorrelia vaccine development. Infection 24, 208–212 (1996). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01713341
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01713341