Genotype leads to worse cases of Lyme
By Linda on Nov 1, 2011 in Infections | comments(0)
Linda’s comment…Evidence is emerging for differential pathogenicity among Borrelia burgdorferi genotypes in the United States. By using two linked genotyping systems, ribosomal RNA intergenic spacer type (RST) and outer surface protein C (OspC), we studied the inflammatory potential of B. burgdorferi genotypes in cells and patients with erythema migrans or Lyme arthritis.
Link: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/
Excerpt:
Differences among genotypes were not as great in patients
with Lyme arthritis, but those infected with RST1 strains more often had
antibiotic-refractory arthritis. Thus, the B. burgdorferi RST1 (OspC type A)
genotype, followed by the RST3 (OspC type I) genotype, causes greater
inflammation and more severe disease, establishing a link between spirochetal
virulence and host inflammation
