Pathogenesis of Borrelia mayonii infection

摘要 马永氏疏螺旋体是一种新发现的蜱传疾病的病原体。首次报道在上 中西部在2016年2月期间，这种新出现的公共卫生威胁的地理范围尚不清楚。 虽然B. mayonii与经典的莱姆病病原体伯氏疏螺旋体有关，这两个物种的表现 有很大的基因差异。我们假设这些差异是造成 的B。蛋黄酱感染这两种疾病之间的一个显著差异是高螺旋体血症， 仅在感染B的患者中观察到。蛋黄酱B的其他症状。mayonii感染包括黄斑 全身出现皮疹、肌痛和神经系统症状，部分患者需要住院治疗。三 关于B的关键问题。我们的研究正在解决mayonii及其相关疾病：（1）什么 是未治疗的哺乳动物B中螺旋体血症、组织病理学和其他感染性质的程度。 蛋黄酱感染？(2)什么是负责高水平的螺旋体血症发生在B。蛋黄酱 感染，但不是在B。伯氏感染？（3）在B期产生什么样的抗原蛋白。 mayonii感染，但不是在B。Burgdorferi感染，可用于诊断这种新兴的 疾病？我们的研究结果将提供有价值的洞察力的致病特性的B。蛋黄酱和 为诊断和治疗奠定重要基础。

ABSTRACT Borrelia mayonii is the causative agent of a newly-recognized tick-borne disease. First reported in the upper Midwest during February, 2016, the geographic range of this emerging public health threat is not yet known. Although B. mayonii is related to the classic Lyme disease agent, Borrelia burgdorferi, the two species exhibit substantial genetic differences. We hypothesize that those differences are responsible for the distinct features of B. mayonii infection. A striking difference between the two diseases is the high spirochetemia that has been observed only in patients infected with B. mayonii. Other symptoms of B. mayonii infection include macular rashes across the body, myalgia, and neurological signs, with some patients requiring hospitalization. Three critical questions about B. mayonii and its associated disease are being addressed by our studies: (1) What are the extents of spirochetemia, tissue pathology, and other infectious qualities in untreated mammalian B. mayonii infection? (2) What is responsible for the high-level spirochetemia that occurs during B. mayonii infection, but not during B. burgdorferi infection? and (3) What antigenic proteins are produced during B. mayonii infection, but not during B. burgdorferi infection, that can be used for diagnosis of this emerging disease? Results from our studies will provide valuable insight on the pathogenic properties of B. mayonii and lay important groundwork for diagnosis and treatment.