Borrelia miyamotoi BipA-like protein, BipM, is a candidate serodiagnostic antigen distinguishing between Lyme disease and relapsing fever Borrelia infections.

A Borrelia miyamotoi gene with partial homology to bipA of relapsing fever spirochetes Borrelia hermsii and Borrelia turicatae was identified by a GenBank basic alignment search analysis. We hypothesized that this gene product may be an immunogenic antigen as described for other relapsing fever Borrelia (RFB) and could serve as a serological marker for B. miyamotoi infections.

A serological assay to detect and differentiate rodent exposure to soft tick and hard tick relapsing fever infections in the United States.

Human cases of relapsing fever (RF) in North America are caused primarily by Borrelia hermsii and Borrelia turicatae, which are spread by argasid (soft) ticks, and by Borrelia miyamotoi, which is transmitted by ixodid (hard) ticks. In some regions of the United States, the ranges of the hard and soft tick RF species are known to overlap; in many areas, recorded ranges of RF spirochetes overlap with Lyme disease (LD) group Borrelia spirochetes. Identification of RF clusters or cases detected in unusual geographic localities might prompt public health agencies to investigate environmental exposures, enabling prevention of additional cases through locally targeted mitigation.

Analysis of variable major protein antigenic variation in the relapsing fever spirochete, Borrelia miyamotoi, in response to polyclonal antibody selection pressure.

Borrelia miyamotoi is a tick-transmitted spirochete that is genetically grouped with relapsing fever Borrelia and possesses multiple archived pseudogenes that encode variable major proteins (Vmps). Vmps are divided into two groups based on molecular size; variable large proteins (Vlps) and variable small proteins (Vsps). Relapsing fever Borrelia undergo Vmp gene conversion at a single expression locus to generate new serotypes by antigenic switching which is the basis for immune evasion that causes relapsing fever in patients.

Modification of the multiplex plasmid PCR assay for Borrelia miyamotoi strain LB-2001 based on the complete genome sequence reflecting genomic rearrangements differing from strain CT13-2396.

The genome of Borrelia spp. consists of an approximate 1 megabase chromosome and multiple linear and circular plasmids. We previously described a multiplex PCR assay to detect plasmids in the North American Borrelia miyamotoi strains LB-2001 and CT13-2396.

A transwell assay method to evaluate Borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto migratory chemoattraction toward tick saliva proteins.

We developed a transwell assay to quantify migration of the Lyme disease agent, Borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto (s.s.), toward Ixodes scapularis salivary gland proteins.

Borrelia miyamotoi strain LB-2001 retains plasmids and infectious phenotype throughout continuous culture passages as evaluated by multiplex PCR.

Borrelia miyamotoi is a tick-borne spirochete of the relapsing fever borrelia group and an emerging pathogen of public health significance. The genomes of relapsing fever borreliae and Lyme disease borreliae consist of multiple linear and circular plasmids in addition to the chromosome. Previous work with B.

Characterization of a Borrelia miyamotoi membrane antigen (BmaA) for serodiagnosis of Borrelia miyamotoi disease.

Borrelia miyamotoi is a tick-borne pathogen that causes Borrelia miyamotoi disease (BMD), an emerging infectious disease of increasing public health significance. B. miyamotoi is transmitted by the same tick vector (Ixodes spp.

Evaluation of Patient IgM and IgG Reactivity Against Multiple Antigens for Improvement of Serodiagnostic Testing for Early Lyme Disease.

Serologic testing is the standard for laboratory diagnosis and confirmation of Lyme disease. Serodiagnostic assays to detect antibodies against , the agent of Lyme borreliosis, are used for detection of infection. However, serologic testing within the first month of infection is less sensitive as patients' antibody responses continue to develop.

Evaluation of in vivo expressed Borrelia burgdorferi antigens for improved IgM serodiagnosis of early Lyme disease.

Improved serologic tests are needed for accurate diagnosis and proper treatment of early stage Lyme disease. We evaluated the 3 antigens currently used for 2-tiered IgM immunoblot testing (FlaB, OspC, and BmpA) in combination with 3 additional antigens (BBA65, BBA70, and BBA73) and measured the sensitivity and specificity against a serum repository of positive and negative controls. Using 3 statistical methods for positivity cutoff determinations and scoring criteria, we found increased sensitivities for early Lyme disease when 2 of 6 antigens were positive as compared with the 2 of 3 antigen IgM criteria currently used for second-tier immunoblot scoring.

Immunization of mice with Borrelia burgdorferi lp54 gene encoded recombinant proteins does not provide protection against tick transmitted infectious challenge.

The Borrelia burgdorferi outer surface membrane proteins BBA65, BBA66, BBA69, BBA70, and BBA73 were tested for their ability to confer protection against B. burgdorferi infection challenge. Mice were immunized with recombinant forms of the proteins singly or in combinations.

Evaluation of Selected Borrelia burgdorferi lp54 Plasmid-Encoded Gene Products Expressed during Mammalian Infection as Antigens To Improve Serodiagnostic Testing for Early Lyme Disease.

Laboratory testing for the diagnosis of Lyme disease is performed primarily by serologic assays and is accurate for detection beyond the acute stage of the infection. Serodiagnostic assays to detect the early stages of infection, however, are limited in their sensitivity, and improvement is warranted. We analyzed a series of Borrelia burgdorferi proteins known to be induced within feeding ticks and/or during mammalian infection for their utility as serodiagnostic markers against a comprehensive panel of Lyme disease patient serum samples.

pncA and bptA are not sufficient to complement Ixodes scapularis colonization and persistence by Borrelia burgdorferi in a linear plasmid lp25-deficient background.

The complex segmented genome of Borrelia burgdorferi is comprised of a linear chromosome along with numerous linear and circular plasmids essential for tick and/or mammalian infectivity. The pathogenic necessity for specific borrelial plasmids has been identified; most notably, infections of the tick vector and mammalian host both require linear plasmid 25 (lp25). Genes carried on lp25, specifically bptA and pncA, are postulated to play a role for B.

Evaluation of the Borrelia burgdorferi BBA64 protein as a protective immunogen in mice.

The Borrelia burgdorferi bba64 gene product is a surface-localized lipoprotein synthesized within mammalian and tick hosts and is involved in vector transmission of disease. These properties suggest that BBA64 may be a vaccine candidate against Lyme borreliosis. In this study, protective immunity against B.

Borrelia burgdorferi bba66 gene inactivation results in attenuated mouse infection by tick transmission.

The impact of the Borrelia burgdorferi surface-localized immunogenic lipoprotein BBA66 on vector and host infection was evaluated by inactivating the encoding gene, bba66, and characterizing the mutant phenotype throughout the natural mouse-tick-mouse cycle. The BBA66-deficient mutant isolate, Bb(ΔA66), remained infectious in mice by needle inoculation of cultured organisms, but differences in spirochete burden and pathology in the tibiotarsal joint were observed relative to the parental wild-type (WT) strain. Ixodes scapularis larvae successfully acquired Bb(ΔA66) following feeding on infected mice, and the organisms persisted in these ticks through the molt to nymphs.

Borrelia burgdorferi visualized in Ixodes scapularis tick excrement by immunofluorescence.

The enzootic cycle of Borrelia burgdorferi, the etiologic agent of Lyme disease, involves Ixodes spp. ticks and vertebrates. Resident tick Borrelia, harbored inside the midgut, are eventually expelled with the tick's saliva into the vertebrate host when a tick consumes a blood meal.

Evaluation of a recombinant salivary gland protein (thrombostasin) as a vaccine candidate to disrupt blood-feeding by horn flies.

The potential for controlling blood-feeding by the cattle pest, Haematobia irritans irritans (horn fly), was tested by vaccination against thrombostasin (TS), an inhibitor of mammalian thrombin that is released into skin during horn fly blood-feeding. The increase in blood meal size that occurred for flies feeding on sensitized non-vaccinated hosts was blocked and egg development in female flies was delayed when horn flies fed on rabbits and cattle immunized with recombinant TS. This demonstration of the impact of disrupting TS action by vaccination provides a novel approach toward control of this veterinary pest and offers a paradigm for limiting blood-feeding in other medically-important insect species.

Cloning, partial purification and in vivo developmental profile of expression of the juvenile hormone epoxide hydrolase of Ctenocephalides felis.

cDNAs encoding two different epoxide hydrolases (nCfEH1 and nCfEH2) were cloned from a cDNA library prepared from the wandering larval stage of the cat flea, Ctenocephalides felis. Predicted translations of the open reading frames indicated the clones encoded proteins of 464 (CfEH1) and 465 (CfEH2) amino acids. These proteins have a predicted molecular weight of 53 kDa and a putative 22 amino acid N-terminal hydrophobic membrane anchor.