Antigenic and genetic structure of Borrelia burgdorferi

Abstract

Lyme borreliosis is a disease caused by the spirochaetes Borrelia burgdorferi, Borrelia afzelii and Borrelia garinii and it is transmitted by ticks. Most of the proteins (outer surface proteins, flagellar proteins and other uncertain location proteins) have a strong antigenic variability. Osp A protein genetic and serological studies facilitated the differentiation of seven serotypes strongly correlated with the known genospecies. The genetic structure of these spirochaetes included a large linear chromosome, several linear microchromosomes as well as a number of circular plasmids.