从黑龙江小兴安岭棕背和花鼠分离到莱姆病螺旋体

目的：为初步掌握黑龙江省小兴安岭林区动物莱姆病分布情况。方法：于1995年7月用鼠笼捕获野鼠30只，采用间接免疫荧光抗体法调查鼠血清抗莱姆病螺旋体抗体。用BSK培养基从鼠脏器分离病原。结果：阳性共8只，阳性率26.67％；其中优势种属野鼠阳性率达31．36％；从棕背和花鼠各分离出1株莱姆病螺旋体。新分离株的单克隆抗体反应与国内分离株SR1相同，与美国B(31)有区别，对H(6831)呈阴性反应。结论：鼠型啮齿动物可能是莱姆病螺旋体的动物宿主，属野鼠则是重要动物宿主。     

Toll-like receptors in Borrelia burgdorferi-induced inflammation

Lyme arthritis, the most common manifestation of late Lyme disease, has been associated with the presence of Borellia burgdorferi in the joint. However, it is still unclear whether the pathogen itself is able to elicit such a sustained inflammatory response, or whether an aberrant immunological reaction of the host is the main driving force. Borrelia antigens, including lipoproteins, flagellin and DNA, are ligands of Toll-like receptors, and can thus elicit a strong stimulation of host cells, such as neutrophils, mononuclear cells and resident tissue cells. Understanding the molecular basis of the signalling events caused by Borrelia lipoproteins will lead to a greater understanding of inflammation in Lyme arthritis and, hopefully, new treatment strategies for chronic antibiotic-resistant disease.     

我国东北林区莱姆病的调查

1987~1988年我们在牡丹江和延边林区对莱姆病进行了流行病学调查和临床观察,发现一些林场莱姆病的患病率和自然感染率较高。大青林场共有人口1 030人,在检查的628人中,发现莱姆病患者37例。在小白林场人群中进行了血清流行病学调查,发现伯氏包柔氏体自然感染率为22.5%。从牡丹江林区收集的全沟硬蜱中,分离出了3株包柔氏体,其中M7菌株经单克隆抗体测定和电镜观察,确证为伯氏包柔氏体。在医院收集162份疑似森林脑炎病人血清,其中38份血清抗伯氏包柔氏体抗体阳性。对15例经临床和血清学确诊的莱姆病患者进行了临床观察和治疗,证明大剂量青霉素可以治愈全身性红斑。并从1例慢性游走性红斑患者血液中分离出1株包柔氏体。     

Early detection of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato infection in Balb/c mice by co-feeding Ixodes ricinus ticks

In Europe, Borrelia burgdorferi is transmitted by Ixodes ricinus to animals and human. When infected and uninfected ticks co-feed on a host, spirochetes are transmitted from ticks to animal and also to uninfected ticks. Here, we used uninfected ticks to co-feed with infected ticks on mice to evaluate this method to detect early infection in mice. A total of 128 mice were challenged by infected nymphs placed in capsules glued on the back of the mice. Three days later uninfected larvae were added in the capsule to co-feed with infected nymphs and were examined for Borrelia infection after natural detachment. Infection in mice was also determined by xenodiagnosis and by spirochete isolation from ear skin biopsy and back skin biopsy taken at the tick attachment site one month after infection. A total of 111 mice were found to be infected by at least one of these four methods. Borrelia infection was observed in 95% of mice by the co-feeding method, in 92% of mice by xenodiagnosis, in 69% and in 68% of mice by cultivation of ear and back skin biopsies, respectively. Our results demonstrate that the co-feeding method is a very sensitive method which can be used to detect very early infection in mice infected by tick bites.     

Heterogeneity in the complement-dependent bacteriolysis within the species of Borrelia burgdorferi

Sixteen Borrelia burgdorferi strains, including all three species, were compared in a colorimetric bactericidal assay for their ability to escape the complement-dependent bacteriolysis on incubation in normal human serum free of specific antibodies (NHS). The species B. afzelii was found to be serum resistant (EB1, EB3, FEM1, FEM2, Pko), whereas strains of the species B. garinii were found to be serum sensitive (1/B29, G1, G2, PSth, PBr, PTrob). Six strains, mainly B. burgdorferi sensu stricto, were only partially sensitive (Z25, 297, B31, PKa-I, PBi). All strains activated the complement cascade in NHS, whereas only four strains (G1, G2, PBr, PSth) could activate complement in the presence of EGTA-Mg. After complement activation, covalently bound C3 fragments (C3b, iC3b) were detected on serum-sensitive as well as serum-resistant borrelial strains. Heterogeneity, however, was observed between serum-resistant and serum-sensitive strains with respect to deposition of C6 and C9. Whereas serum-sensitive strains were strongly positive for C6 and C9 and were, therefore, killed by the terminal complement complex (TCC), serum-resistant strains were devoid of C6 and C9 on their cell surface. The serum resistance may, therefore, be due to an absent or only transient formation of TCC on the bacterial surface. Received: 17 September 1996     

Early dissemination of Borrelia burgdorferi without generalized symptoms in patients with erythema migrans

The diagnosis of erythema migrans (EM) is not always easy, and reports of culture- or PCR-confirmed diagnosis as well as reports of EM with simultaneous disseminated disease are few. Characteristics and incidence of EM in addition to frequency of early dissemination of B. burgdorferi were studied in the archipelago of South-Western Finland prospectively using questionnaires, skin biopsies and blood samples. Clinical EM was recognized in 82 patients (incidence 148/100,000 inhabitants/year). Of skin biopsy samples, 35.5% were positive by PCR (the majority B. garinii), and 21.5% by cultivation (all B. garinii). Of blood samples, 3.8% were positive by PCR, and 7.7% by cultivation. Of the patients, 30.9% were seropositive at the first visit, and 52.9% 3 weeks later. Of the patients with laboratory confirmed diagnosis, the EM lesion was ring-like in 31.8% and homogeneous in 65.9%. Dissemination of B. burgdorferi, based on culture or PCR positivity of blood samples, was detected in 11.0% of the patients. The frequency of generalized symptoms was nearly the same in patients with as in those without dissemination (22.2% vs 27.4%). Only 21.4% of the patients with culture-positive EM recalled a previous tick bite at the site of the EM lesion. We conclude that EM lesions are more often homogeneous than ring-like. B. burgdorferi may disseminate early without generalized symptoms.     

Artificial-infection protocols allow immunodetection of novel Borrelia burgdorferi antigens suitable as vaccine candidates against Lyme disease

Vaccination with recombinant outer surface protein A (OspA) from Borrelia burgdorferi provides excellent antibody-mediated protection against challenge with the pathogen in animal models and in humans. However, the bactericidal antibodies are ineffective in the reservoir host, since OspA is expressed by spirochetes only in the vector, but rarely, if at all, in mammals. Using an artificially generated immune serum (anti-10(8) spirochetes) with high protective potential for prophylactic and therapeutic treatment, we have now isolated from an expression library of B. burgdorferi (strain ZS7) three novel genes, zs7.a36, zs7.a66 and zs7.a68. All three genes are located, together with ospA/B, on the linear plasmid lp54, and are expressed in vitro and in ticks. At least temporarily two of them, ZS7.A36 and ZS7.A66, are also expressed during infection. The respective natural antigens are poorly immunogenic ininfected normal mice but elicited antibodies in Lyme disease patients. We show that recombinant preparations of ZS7.A36, ZS7.A66 and ZS7.A68 induce functional antibodies in rabbits capable of protecting immunodeficient mice against subsequent experimental infection. These findings suggest that all three recombinant antigens represent potential candidates for a "second generation" vaccine to prevent and/or cure Lyme disease.     

Heterogeneity of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato demonstrated by an ospA-type-specific PCR in synovial fluid from patients with Lyme arthritis

Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato, the etiological agent of Lyme borreliosis, has been divided into three genospecies: B. burgdorferi sensu stricto (OspA-type 1), B. afzelii (OspA-type 2) and B. garinii (OspA-type 3–7). Whereas in Europe B. afzelii (OspA-type 2) is predominant among human skin isolates and B. garinii (OspA-type 3–7) among human CSF isolates, some previous serological studies suggested that Lyme arthritis is also associated with B. burgdorferi sensu stricto in Europe. In the present study we designed ospA type-specific PCRs and identified four different ospA types associated with Lyme arthritis. Our study group consisted of 20 patients with positive serology (ELISA and immunoblotting) and clinical criteria for Lyme arthritis. B. burgdorferi DNA was detected in 13 patients and in none of 10 control patients from synovial fluid. We identified ospA-type 1 (26.6%), ospA-type 2 (33.3%), ospA-type 4 (6.6%) and ospA-type 5 (33.3%). Our conclusion is that in Europe B. burgdorferi sensu lato strains causing Lyme arthritis are considerably heterogeneous and that there is no prevalence of certain genospecies or OspA-types among this strains. Received: 14 May 1998     

莱姆病螺旋体重组质粒pBX1的DNA序列分析及其在大肠杆菌中的诱导表达

目的　为莱姆病血清学诊断和基因工程亚单位疫苗研制提供靶抗原。方法　采用 377型 DNA自动测序仪对莱姆病螺旋体重组质粒 p BX1的插入片段进行 DNA序列测定 ,并通过计算机软件对其进行限制性内切酶酶谱分析。然后将重组质粒 p BX1在大肠杆菌中进行诱导表达 ,并对其表达产物进行免疫印迹分析。结果　1重组质粒 p BX1插入片段大小为 477bp,其核苷酸序列与文献报道的 p83基因全序列相应区段相比较仅有一个碱基的变异 ,2成功绘制了该插入片段的限制性内切酶酶谱 ;3重组质粒在大肠杆菌中诱导表达后获得了 2 9kd的融合蛋白 ;4Western- blotting分析表明该融合蛋白能与莱姆病多价抗血清呈强阳性印迹反应。结论　该研究成功地对莱姆病螺旋体 83kd抗原蛋白特异性区段进行了基因重组和表达 ,为进一步研究其在莱姆病血清学诊断和基因工程亚单位疫苗研制中的应用奠定了基础。     

伯氏疏螺旋体与嗜吞噬细胞无浆体混合感染的实验研究

目的应用动物模型探讨蜱传病原体伯氏疏螺旋体和嗜吞噬细胞无浆体混合感染对组织螺旋体载量、莱姆关节炎严重性、宿主免疫功能的影响。方法建立伯氏疏螺旋体和嗜吞噬细胞无浆体混合感染和伯氏疏螺旋体单一感染小鼠模型，在不同时间点研究各组小鼠组织中的螺旋体载量、关节炎严重性和血清IgG效价，并对数据进行统计学分析。结果与单一感染组相比，在螺旋体感染后18d和30d，混合感染组小鼠组织螺旋体载量显著增高，关节炎明显严重，血清IgC效价显著偏低。结论伯氏疏螺旋体和嗜吞噬细胞无浆体混合感染显著增加小鼠组织螺旋体载量、加重关节炎症状和病理改变，且抑制体液免疫功能。