Spirochetes Isolated from the Blood of Two Patients with Lyme Disease

AimsLittle is known about the effects of phytochemicals against Borrelia sp. causing Lyme disease. Current therapeutic approach to this disease is limited to antibiotics. This study examined the anti‐borreliae efficacy of several plant‐derived compounds and micronutrients.Methods and ResultsWe tested the efficacy of 15 phytochemicals and micronutrients against three morphological forms of Borrelia burgdoferi and Borrelia garinii: spirochetes, latent rounded forms and biofilm. The results showed that the most potent substances against the spirochete and rounded forms of B. burgdorferi and B. garinii were cis‐2‐decenoic acid, baicalein, monolaurin and kelp (iodine); whereas, only baicalein and monolaurin revealed significant activity against the biofilm. Moreover, cis‐2‐decenoic acid, baicalein and monolaurin did not cause statistically significant cytotoxicity to human HepG2 cells up to 125 μg ml−1 and kelp up to 20 μg ml−1.ConclusionsThe most effective antimicrobial compounds against all morphological forms of the two tested Borrelia sp. were baicalein and monolaurin. This might indicate that the presence of fatty acid and phenyl groups is important for comprehensive antibacterial activity.Significance and Impact of the StudyThis study reveals the potential of phytochemicals as an important tool in the fight against the species of Borrelia causing Lyme disease.

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“…This disease is transmitted by ticks of the genus Ixodes (Benach et al . 1983; Steere et al . 1983), which harbor the Borrelia sp.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

In vitro evaluation of antibacterial activity of phytochemicals and micronutrients against Borrelia burgdorferi and Borrelia garinii

2015

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“…The etiologic agent of LD, Borrelia burgdorferi, is transmitted to its mammalian host via a bite from an infected Ixodes tick (1). Upon transmission to humans, the spirochetes spread in the skin and induce a local inflammatory response characterized by recruitment of neutrophils, macrophages, and lymphocytes.…”

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confidence: 99%

IFN-γ Alters the Response ofBorrelia burgdorferi-Activated Endothelium to Favor Chronic Inflammation

Dame

Orenzoff

Palmer

et al. 2007

The Journal of Immunology

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Borrelia burgdorferi, the agent of Lyme disease, promotes proinflammatory changes in the endothelium that lead to the recruitment of leukocytes. The host immune response to infection results in increased levels of IFN-␥ in the serum and lesions of Lyme disease patients that correlate with greater severity of disease. Therefore, the effect of IFN-␥ on the gene expression profile of primary human endothelial cells exposed to B. burgdorferi was determined. B. burgdorferi and IFN-␥ synergistically augmented the expression of 34 genes, 7 of which encode chemokines. Six of these (CCL7, CCL8, CX3CL1, CXCL9, CXCL10, and CXCL11) attract T lymphocytes, and one (CXCL2) is specific for neutrophils. Synergistic production of the attractants for T cells was confirmed at the protein level. IL-1␤, TNF-␣, and LPS also cooperated with IFN-␥ to induce synergistic production of CXCL10 by the endothelium, indicating that IFN-␥ potentiates inflammation in concert with a variety of mediators. An in vitro model of the blood vessel wall revealed that an increased number of human T lymphocytes traversed the endothelium exposed to B. burgdorferi and IFN-␥, as compared with unstimulated endothelial monolayers. In contrast, addition of IFN-␥ diminished the migration of neutrophils across the B. burgdorferi-activated endothelium. IFN-␥ thus alters gene expression by endothelia exposed to B. burgdorferi in a manner that promotes recruitment of T cells and suppresses that of neutrophils. This modulation may facilitate the development of chronic inflammatory lesions in Lyme disease.

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“…The etiologic agent of Lyme disease, Borrelia burgdorferi (17), was first isolated from Ixodes dammini in 1982 (8) and has been isolated from other ixodid ticks (2), wild life and patients (6). Major outer surface proteins (Osps), Osp A and Osp B have been proposed as one potentially important interface between the spirochete and its surroundings.…”

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Polymerase Chain Reaction Analysis of Borrelia Species Isolated in Japan

Kawabata

Tashibu

Yamada

et al. 1994

Microbiology and Immunology

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Primer reactivities of 25 Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato isolates from the ticks, Ixodes persulcatus and I. ovatus, in Japan and 10 isolates in Europe and North America were investigated. The methods used in this study were the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) on the flagellin structural gene (fla), the outer surface protein A gene (osp A) and the outer surface protein B gene (osp B), and the restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis of PCR products from osp A and osp B. The flagellin PCR primer set reacted with all the Borrelia strains tested. Four genospecies, B. burgdorferi sensu stricto, B. garinii, B. afzelii and B. japonica, were differentiated by PCR using osp A and osp B primers combined with RFLP analysis. Some Japanese isolates from I. persulcatus were identified as B. garinii or B. afzelii. The other isolates from I. persulcatus did not fit in any of the 4 genospecies.These results suggested that Japanese isolates from I. persulcatus are highly heterogeneous in their osp A and osp B structures. Furthermore, PCR primers targetingfla are applicable to the gene diagnosis for Lyme disease in Japan, and osp A and osp B primers can be used to classify B. burgdorferi sensu lato isolates into genospecies by PCR and RFLP analyses.

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Spirochetes Isolated from the Blood of Two Patients with Lyme Disease

Cited by 705 publications

References 9 publications

In vitro evaluation of antibacterial activity of phytochemicals and micronutrients against Borrelia burgdorferi and Borrelia garinii

In vitro evaluation of antibacterial activity of phytochemicals and micronutrients against Borrelia burgdorferi and Borrelia garinii

IFN-γ Alters the Response ofBorrelia burgdorferi-Activated Endothelium to Favor Chronic Inflammation

Polymerase Chain Reaction Analysis of Borrelia Species Isolated in Japan

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