LYME DISEASE--STUDY OF THE ETIOLOGICAL AGENT

莱姆病及相关疾病是一种节肢动物传播的疾病。 由伯氏疏螺旋体引起。这种疾病是 欧洲、亚洲、非洲、 澳大利亚和北美。硬扁虱，达米尼硬蜱是 东北和东北地区螺旋体的主要传播媒介 在美国中西部，大多数案件都是在那里 莱姆病会发生。莱姆病病例数 确诊病例增多，出现了金黄色葡萄球菌的分布。 在不断扩大。莱姆病的流行病学是复杂的 而目前的控制措施还不够充分。实验室 这种疾病的诊断受到宿主免疫迟缓的阻碍。 患者对螺旋体的反应和分离一直是一种 低成品率程序。一种未知的伯氏疏螺旋体 机制(S)可以逃避宿主的免疫反应和 残留在导致慢性关节炎和进行性关节炎的组织中 神经系统疾病。莱姆病的慢性形式可能是 对目前推荐的抗菌药无效 心理治疗。 这项建议的具体目的是：(1)遗传研究 伯氏疏螺旋体；(2)莱姆病疫苗研制 (3)伯氏杆菌抗体的杀螺旋体试验； (4)检测人群体液中的伯氏杆菌抗原 宿主；(5)抗生素敏感性研究；(6)监测 达米尼硬蜱和勃氏硬蜱在郊区的建立 鹿群密度高的住宅区及(7) 改善隔离和生长的培养条件 莱姆病螺旋体。 在这些研究中获得的信息应该导致诊断 莱姆型疏螺旋体病检测。这将使它变得可行 诊断的病例比目前可能的要多得多，导致 更好地照顾病人，避免晚期感染后遗症。 寄主寄生虫和抗生素研究应该增加我们的 了解螺旋体在宿主和宿主中的持久性 提供信息以确定最有效的 疾病的治疗。 改进和定义目前可用的培养介质 也将有助于从宿主组织中分离出疏螺旋体 因为允许更高的细胞产量来制备抗原。 伯氏杆菌的DNA研究将提供一个重要的 分类方案的基础，并将用作 流行病学工具。

Lyme disease and related disorders is an arthropod-borne disease caused by the spirochete, Borrelia burgdorferi. The disease is widespread with cases reported from Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia and North America. The hard tick, Ixodes dammini is the major vector of the spirochete in northeastern and midwestern United States where the majority of the cases of Lyme disease occur. The number of cases of Lyme disease diagnosed is increasing and the distribution of I. dammini appears to be enlarging. The epidemiology of Lyme disease is complex and present control measures are inadequate. Laboratory diagnosis of this disease is hampered by a slow host immune response and isolation of the spirochete from patients has been a low yield procedure. Borrelia burgdorferi by an unknown mechanism(s) can evade the immune response of the host and persist in tissues resulting in chronic arthritis and progressive neurological disease. The chronic forms of Lyme disease may be unresponsive to the presently recommended antimicrobial therapy. The specific aims of this proposal are: (1) genetic studies of Borrelia burgdorferi; (2) development of a vaccine for Lyme disease; (3) spirocheticidal assay for antibodies to B. burgdorferi; (4) detection of B. burgdorferi antigens in the body fluids of the host; (5) antibiotic susceptibility studies; (6) monitoring the establishment of Ixodes dammini and B. burgdorferi in a suburban residential area with a high density deer population and (7) improvement of cultural conditions for isolation and growth of the Lime disease spirochetes. The information gained in these studies should result in diagnostic tests for Lyme borreliosis. This would make it feasible to diagnose many more cases than is currently possible, resulting in better patient care and avoidance of late infection sequelae. The host parasite and antibiotic studies should increase our understanding of the persistence of the spirochete in the host and provide information for determining the most efficacious treatment of the disease. Improving and defining the presently available culture medium will facilitate isolation of the borreliae from host tissues as well as allowing higher cell yields for antigen preparations. The DNA studies of B. burgdorferi will provide an important foundation for a classification scheme and will be used as an epidemiological tool.