Diagnostic assays for Borrelia Ionestari

描述（由申请人提供）：南方蜱相关皮疹疾病（STARI）是一种新描述的莱姆病样感染，报告来自美国东南部和中南部，由疏螺旋体引起。我们的长期目标是理解B的重要性。lonestari作为人类病原体。本申请的目的是开发直接的显微镜、培养、分子和血清学方法，以诊断B。在人类、实验动物模型和储存宿主中的lonestari感染。疏螺旋体与B的亲缘关系最近。宫本井湾B.泰氏疏螺旋体和回归热疏螺旋体，所有这些在感染期间产生高密度螺旋体血症。回归热疏螺旋体感染也导致强烈的体液免疫应答。我们对两只幼鹿进行的中试感染试验表明，B。lonestari还产生循环螺旋体血症并导致感染动物的血清转化。因此，这项拟议研究背后的理由是，就像感染回归热疏螺旋体一样，B。lonestari感染可能导致可检测的螺旋体血症，允许从血液中培养生物体，在血液涂片上可视化，并通过分子测定进行检测，以及强烈的抗体应答，这将允许开发免疫诊断工具。为了实现本申请的目标，我们将追求三个具体目标：（1）改进我们培养B的方法。lonestari和用于使用从实验感染的鹿收集的样品直接鉴定循环血液中的螺旋体;（2）开发用于鉴定Borrelia lonestari的分子测定，其允许其快速且可靠地与B区分。伯氏疏螺旋体和回归热疏螺旋体;和（3）鉴定可引发B产生的候选抗原。孤独症特异性抗体。在这项研究完成后，我们期望已经开发出培养、显微镜、分子和血清学技术，可以特异性地识别B。孤独症感染。从这项拟议的研究中产生的诊断测定将允许准确鉴定疏螺旋体属。导致人类疾病，最终，对B的作用有了更深入的了解。lonestari作为人类病原体。改进了人类B的诊断。lonestari感染应该导致。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Southern tick-associated rash illness (STARI) is a newly described Lyme disease-like infection reported from the southeastern and south central US caused by Borrelia lonestari. Our long-range goal is to understand the importance of B. lonestari as a human pathogen. The objective of this application is to develop direct microscopic, culture, molecular, and serologic methods that will allow diagnosis of B. lonestari infection in humans, experimental animal models, and reservoir hosts. Borrelia lonestari is most closely related to B. miyamotoi, B. theileri, and the relapsing fever Borrelia, all of which produce high-density spirochetemia during infection. Infection with relapsing fever Borrelia also results in a strong humoral immune response. Our pilot trial infection of two deer fawns showed that B. lonestari also produces a circulating spirochetemia and results in seroconversion of infected animals. The rationale behind the proposed research, therefore, is that like infection with relapsing fever Borrelia spp., B. lonestari infection is likely to result in detectable spirochetemia, allowing culture of the organism from blood, visualization on blood smears, and detection by molecular assays, as well as a strong antibody response which will permit development of immunodiagnostic tools. To accomplish the objectives of this application, we will pursue three specific aims: (1) refine our methods for culturing B. lonestari and for directly identifying spirochetes in circulating blood using samples collected from experimentally infected deer; (2) develop molecular assays for identification of Borrelia lonestari that allow it to be quickly and reliably distinguished from B. burgdorferi and relapsing fever Borrelia; and (3) identify candidate antigens that may elicit production of B. lonestari-specffic antibodies. At the completion of this research, we expect to have developed culture, microscopic, molecular, and serologic techniques that will specifically identify B. lonestari infection. The diagnostic assays resulting from this proposed research will allow accurate identification of the Borrelia spp. causing disease in people and, ultimately, a more robust understanding of the role of B. lonestari as a human pathogen. Improved diagnosis of human B. lonestari infection should result.