Pathogenesis of Borrelia mayonii infection

摘要 梅氏疏螺旋体是一种新发现的壁虱传播疾病的病原体。最早在上边报道 中西部2016年2月，这一新兴公共卫生威胁的地理范围尚不清楚。 尽管马约氏杆菌与典型的莱姆病病原体伯氏疏螺旋体有亲缘关系，但这两个物种表现出 巨大的遗传差异。我们假设，这些差异是导致这些不同特征的原因 感染马约氏巴氏杆菌。这两种疾病之间的一个显著区别是高螺旋体血症 仅在感染马约氏杆菌的患者中观察到。感染马约氏巴氏杆菌的其他症状包括黄斑 全身出现皮疹、肌肉疼痛和神经体征，一些患者需要住院治疗。三 我们的研究正在解决有关马约氏杆菌及其相关疾病的关键问题：(1)什么 未经治疗的哺乳动物B.螺旋体血症的程度、组织病理学和其他感染性特征。 马约氏杆菌感染？(2)在马约氏杆菌感染期间发生的高水平螺旋体血症是什么原因？ 感染，但不是在伯氏杆菌感染期间？(3)B期产生了哪些抗原蛋白。 而不是在伯氏杆菌感染期间，这可用于诊断这种新出现的疾病 疾病？我们的研究结果将为了解马约氏杆菌的致病特性和 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.