Culture and identification of Borrelia spirochetes in human vaginal and seminal secretions

Abstract

Background: Recent reports indicate that more than 300,000 cases of Lyme disease are diagnosed yearly in the USA. Preliminary clinical, epidemiological and immunological studies suggest that infection with the Lyme disease spirochete Borrelia burgdorferi (Bb) could be transferred from person to person via intimate human contact without a tick vector. Detecting viable Borrelia spirochetes in vaginal and seminal secretions would provide evidence to support this hypothesis.Methods: Patients with and without a history of Lyme disease were selected for the study after informed consent was obtained. Serological testing for Bb was performed on all subjects. Semen or vaginal secretions were inoculated into BSK-H medium and cultured for four weeks. Examination of genital cultures and culture concentrates for the presence of spirochetes was performed using light and darkfield microscopy, and spirochete concentrates were subjected to Dieterle silver staining, anti-Bb immunohistochemical staining, molecular hybridization and PCR analysis for further characterization. Immunohistochemical and molecular testing was performed in three independent laboratories. Positive and negative controls were included in all experiments.Results: Control subjects who were asymptomatic and seronegative for Bb had no detectable spirochetes in genital secretions by PCR analysis. In contrast, spirochetes were observed in cultures of genital secretions from 11 of 13 subjects diagnosed with Lyme disease, and motile spirochetes were detected in genital culture concentrates from 12 of 13 Lyme disease patients using light and darkfield microscopy. Morphological features of spirochetes were confirmed by Dieterle silver staining and immunohistochemical staining of culture concentrates. Molecular hybridization and PCR testing confirmed that the spirochetes isolated from semen and vaginal secretions were strains of Borrelia, and all cultures were negative for treponemal spirochetes. PCR sequencing of cultured spirochetes from three couples having unprotected sex indicated that two couples had identical strains of Bb sensu stricto in their semen and vaginal secretions, while the third couple had identical strains of B. hermsii detected in their genital secretions.Conclusions: The culture of viable Borrelia spirochetes in genital secretions suggests that Lyme disease could be transmitted by intimate contact from person to person.

Far-Reaching Dispersal of Borrelia burgdorferi Sensu Lato-Infected Blacklegged Ticks by Migratory Songbirds in Canada

“…Collectively, these aggregates combine to form slime-coated, polysaccharide matrices, called biofilms, and exacerbate persistence of infection [ 58 ]. Bbsl has persister cells and sleeper cells, which are known to survive antimicrobials, and subsequently, recrudescence of infection may occur [ 68 , 84 , 85 , 86 , 87 ]. Since Lyme disease spirochetes are in human testicles, seminal and vaginal secretions, this spirochetosis has the potential to be sexually transmitted [ 87 , 88 ].…”

Lyme disease: the promise of Big Data, companion diagnostics and precision medicine

“…Although tick transmission of Lyme disease is well established, the discovery of new tick-associated Borrelia strains in arctic and equatorial locations has raised questions about the worldwide dissemination of Lyme disease beyond temperate zones, 17 – 19 and the unknown risk of sexual transmission of the Lyme spirochete has recently received renewed attention. 20 Animal models of B. burgdorferi sexual transmission in mice, dogs, and ticks have been described in the past, 21 – 23 and further animal and human studies using sophisticated detection methods are now in progress. 24 Whether this form of spirochete transmission is significant in Lyme disease remains to be determined, but the possibility of sexual transmission raises the question of how to treat a disease that may resemble HIV/AIDS in terms of infection risk and need for prolonged treatment.…”

Detection of Lyme Disease Bacterium, Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato, in Blacklegged Ticks Collected in the Grand River Valley, Ontario, Canada

“…Since spirochetes lodge in human testicles, semen, and vaginal secretions, B. burgdorferi s.l. may be sexually transmitted 85 , 86 . Lyme disease can destroy people's lives, and B. burgdorferi s.l.…”