Serum Antibodies to Whole-Cell and Recombinant Antigens of Borrelia Burgdorferi in Cottontail Rabbits

Abstract

Archived serum samples, from 95 eastern cottontail rabbits (Sylvilagus floridanus) captured in New York, New York, USA and Millbrook, New York, USA, during 1985–86, were analyzed in solid-phase enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA) for total and class-specific immunoglobulin (Ig) M antibodies to whole-cell or recombinant antigens of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto. Using a polyvalent conjugate, rabbit sera contained antibodies to whole-cell and recombinant antigens (protein [p]35, p37, or VlsE) during different seasons, but there was no reactivity to outer surface protein (Osp)A or OspB. Seventy-six of the 102 sera (75%) analyzed were reactive with one or more of the antigens; 61 of the positive samples (80%) reacted to whole-cell antigens, followed by results for the p35 (58%, 44/76), VlsE (43%, 33/76), and p37 (29%, 22/76) antigens. Fifty-eight sera (76%) contained antibodies to the VlsE or p35 antigens with or without reactivity to whole-cell antigens. High antibody titers (≥1:2,560) recorded for 52 sera indicate robust antibody production. In analyses for IgM antibodies in an ELISA containing whole-cell antigens, there were 30 positive sera; titers ranged from 1:160 to 1:640. There was minimal cross-reactivity when rabbit antisera to Treponema pallidum or four serovars of Leptospira interrogans were screened against B. burgdorferi antigens. Based on more-specific results, VlsE and p35 antigens appear to be useful markers for detecting possible B. burgdorferi infections.

BB0347, from the Lyme Disease Spirochete Borrelia burgdorferi, Is Surface Exposed and Interacts with the CS1 Heparin-Binding Domain of Human Fibronectin

“…6B), as we have done previously [43]. The reciprocal titer levels were comparable to measured levels against whole Borrelia lysates in infected wild animals [77], [78]. Further studies are needed to determine the immunogenicity of BB0347 in humans, as well as the prevalence and distribution of αBB0347 antibodies in an infected population of patients and the protective efficiency of the antibodies.…”

A STING from a Tick : Epidemiology, Ecology and Clinical Aspects of Lyme Borreliosis

“…High titers of either IgG or IgM antibodies to borrelial antigens indicate an ongoing disease, but IgM antibodies may remain after the initial infection, and IgG antibodies may remain for years (Burdash & Fernandes, 1991). One shortcoming of ELISA is that it may cross-react with antigens from other bacteria (e.g other spirochetes such as Treponema and Leptospira) than B. burgdorferi sensu lato (Magnarelli et al, 2012). Another important limitation of ELISA is the lack of standardization: commercially available ELISA tests use different antigenic composition and detect different immunoglobulin classes (Aguero-Rosenfeld et al, 2005;Ekerfelt et al, 2004).…”