No abstract available.
Antibodies* ; Borrelia burgdorferi* ; Borrelia* ; Ticks*

No abstract available.
Borrelia burgdorferi* ; Borrelia* ; Humans ; Korea*

No abstract available.
Animals ; Borrelia burgdorferi* ; Borrelia* ; Murinae*

No abstract available.
Antibodies* ; Borrelia burgdorferi* ; Borrelia* ; Immunoblotting* ; Lyme Disease*

No abstract available.
Antibodies, Monoclonal* ; Borrelia burgdorferi* ; Borrelia* ; Lyme Disease*

No abstract available.
Antibody Formation* ; Borrelia burgdorferi* ; Borrelia* ; Retrospective Studies*

No abstract available.
Borrelia burgdorferi* ; Borrelia* ; Ixodes* ; Korea* ; Lyme Disease* ; Ticks*

The organization of the ribosomal genes is unique in Borrelia burgdorferi in that the rrl (23S) and rrf (SS) genes are duplicated in tandem. Twelve Korean Borrelia isolates were classified by the method of rRNA gene restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) and Southern hybridization. One of the isolates, KW-3, as well as the representative of ribotype group IV Ip89 appeared to have evolved within B. garinii. The size of the restriction bands of the 11 isolates showed different patterns from the USA and European isolates. The result by RFLP of rrf-rrl intergenic spacer region amplified by PCR showed a good correlation with that of Southern hybridization of rRNA gene. Therefore, the eleven Korean isolates could be classified as members of a new Borrelia group.
Borrelia burgdorferi Group* ; Borrelia burgdorferi* ; Borrelia* ; Classification* ; Genes, rRNA ; Korea* ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length* ; Ribotyping

OBJECTIVEHuman Lyme Borreliosis (LB), which is caused by Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato (B. burgdorferi), has been identified as a major arthropod-borne infectious disease in China. We aimed to develop a multiple locus variable-number tandem repeat (VNTR) analysis (MLVA) assay for the genotyping of Borrelia burgdorferi strains detected in China.

METHODSB. garinii PBi complete 904.246 kb chromosome and two plasmids (cp26 and lp54) were screened by using Tandem Repeats Finder program for getting potential VNTR loci, the potential VNTR loci were analyzed and identified with PCR and the VNTR loci data were analyzed and MLVA clustering tree were constrcted by using the categorical coefficient and the unweighted pair-group method with arithmetic means (UPGMA).

RESULTSWe identified 5 new VNTR loci through analyzing 47 potential VNTR loci. We used the MLVA protocol to analyse 101 B. burgdorferi strains detected in China and finally identified 51 unique genotypes in 4 major clusters including B. burgdorferi sensu stricto (B.b.s.s), B. garinii, B. afzelii, and B. valaisiana, consistent with the current MLSA phylogeny studies. The allele numbers of VNTR-1, VNTR-2, VNTR-3, VNTR-4, and VNTR-5 were 7, 3, 9, 7, and 6. The Hunter-Gaston index (HGI) of five VNTR loci were 0.79, 0.22, 0.77, 0.71, and 0.67, respectively. The combined HGI of five VNTR loci was 0.96. Clustering of the strains of Xinjiang, Inner Mongolia and Heilongjiang was confirmed, and this situation was consistent with the close geographical distribution of those provinces.

CONCLUSIONThe MLVA protocol esytablished in this study is easy and can show strains' phylogenetic relationships to distinguish the strains of Borrelia species. It is useful for further phylogenetic and epidemiological analyses of Borrelia strains.

Atrophoderma of Pasini and Pierini is a form of dermal atrophy that manifests as either single or multiple, sharply demarcated, hyperpigmented, non-indurated patches. These patches are marked by a slight depression of the skin, with an abrupt edge (i.e., the "cliff-drop" borders), usually located on the backs of adolescents or young adults. The pathophysiology of the disease is unknown, but some authors have suggested a role of Borrelia burgdorferi infection. A 35-year-old woman visited our department because of asymptomatic, hypopigmented, depressed patches on her chest and back lasting for three months. Laboratory evaluations were normal, except for positive serum antibodies to Borrelia burgdorferi. Histologic examination revealed a significantly decreased thickness of the dermis. The patient underwent treatment with oral doxycycline 200 mg/day for six weeks, after which the depth of depression was improved. Herein, we report a case of atrophoderma of Pasini and Pierini, associated with Borrelia burgdorferi infection, successfully treated with oral doxycycline.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Antibodies ; Atrophy ; Borrelia ; Borrelia burgdorferi ; Depression ; Dermis ; Doxycycline ; Female ; Humans ; Skin ; Thorax ; Young Adult