2017
Advances in Serodiagnostic Testing for Lyme Disease Are at Hand
Branda JA, Body BA, Boyle J, Branson BM, Dattwyler RJ, Fikrig E, Gerald NJ, Gomes-Solecki M, Kintrup M, Ledizet M, Levin AE, Lewinski M, Liotta LA, Marques A, Mead PS, Mongodin EF, Pillai S, Rao P, Robinson WH, Roth KM, Schriefer ME, Slezak T, Snyder J, Steere AC, Witkowski J, Wong SJ, Schutzer SE. Advances in Serodiagnostic Testing for Lyme Disease Are at Hand. Clinical Infectious Diseases 2017, 66: 1133-1139. PMID: 29228208, PMCID: PMC6019075, DOI: 10.1093/cid/cix943.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsSerodiagnostic testingEnzyme immunoassayLyme diseaseIndirect fluorescence antibodySerologic assaysImmunoglobulin MEarly infectionFluorescence antibodyTesting protocolAlternative testing protocolsBorrelia burgdorferiB. burgdorferiWestern immunoblotAntigenDiseaseAntibodiesBurgdorferiLow sensitivitySynthetic peptidesAssaysModulation of the tick gut milieu by a secreted tick protein favors Borrelia burgdorferi colonization
Narasimhan S, Schuijt TJ, Abraham NM, Rajeevan N, Coumou J, Graham M, Robson A, Wu MJ, Daffre S, Hovius JW, Fikrig E. Modulation of the tick gut milieu by a secreted tick protein favors Borrelia burgdorferi colonization. Nature Communications 2017, 8: 184. PMID: 28775250, PMCID: PMC5543126, DOI: 10.1038/s41467-017-00208-0.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsB. burgdorferi colonizationTick gutImmune responseRNA interference-mediated silencingGut microbiomeLyme disease agentBorrelia burgdorferiB. burgdorferiGutTick proteinsVivo resultsBurgdorferiPixRAbrogationTick Ixodes scapularisArthropod vectorsDisease agentsGut proteinsIxodes scapularisAlterationsGut genesMicrobiomeTick biologyMiceBacterial biofilm formation
2015
Ixodes scapularis dystroglycan-like protein promotes Borrelia burgdorferi migration from the gut
Coumou J, Narasimhan S, Trentelman JJ, Wagemakers A, Koetsveld J, Ersoz JI, Oei A, Fikrig E, Hovius JW. Ixodes scapularis dystroglycan-like protein promotes Borrelia burgdorferi migration from the gut. Journal Of Molecular Medicine 2015, 94: 361-370. PMID: 26594018, PMCID: PMC4803822, DOI: 10.1007/s00109-015-1365-0.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsB. burgdorferi transmissionTick gutLyme borreliosisTick feedingMurine modelVaccine targetsUninfected ticksRNA interferenceInfected ticksSalivary glandsBorrelia burgdorferiPotential targetGut tissueB. burgdorferiCausative agentIxodes ticksGutPrevious screeningTick proteinsGut cellsBurgdorferiMiceTicks resultsBorreliosisConfocal microscopy
2014
Borrelia miyamotoi sensu lato Seroreactivity and Seroprevalence in the Northeastern United States - Volume 20, Number 7—July 2014 - Emerging Infectious Diseases journal - CDC
Krause PJ, Narasimhan S, Wormser GP, Barbour AG, Platonov AE, Brancato J, Lepore T, Dardick K, Mamula M, Rollend L, Steeves TK, Diuk-Wasser M, Usmani-Brown S, Williamson P, Sarksyan DS, Fikrig E, Fish D, . Borrelia miyamotoi sensu lato Seroreactivity and Seroprevalence in the Northeastern United States - Volume 20, Number 7—July 2014 - Emerging Infectious Diseases journal - CDC. Emerging Infectious Diseases 2014, 20: 1183-1190. PMID: 24960072, PMCID: PMC4073859, DOI: 10.3201/eid2007.131587.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsB. burgdorferiInfectious Diseases journal - CDCSeroprevalence of IgGB. burgdorferi antigensLyme disease endemic areaDisease-endemic areasAntibody testingHealthy personsLyme diseaseSerum samplesSeroprevalenceBurgdorferiInfectionSame tickUnited StatesSensu latoArea residentsPersonsBorrelia spSeroreactivityIgGAntigenDiseaseSerum
2011
Molecular Interactions that Enable Movement of the Lyme Disease Agent from the Tick Gut into the Hemolymph
Zhang L, Zhang Y, Adusumilli S, Liu L, Narasimhan S, Dai J, Zhao YO, Fikrig E. Molecular Interactions that Enable Movement of the Lyme Disease Agent from the Tick Gut into the Hemolymph. PLOS Pathogens 2011, 7: e1002079. PMID: 21695244, PMCID: PMC3111543, DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1002079.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsLyme disease agentB. burgdorferi burdenTick gutOuter surface lipoproteinsTick gut proteinsSalivary gland infectionIxodes scapularis ticksInfection resultsMouse infectionDisease agentsGland infectionLyme diseaseBorrelia burgdorferiScapularis ticksB. burgdorferiCausative agentInfectionBurgdorferiGutGut proteinsSpirochetesTick hemolymphTicksAgentsHemolymph
2010
Infectivity of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato is unaltered in C3-deficient mice
van Burgel ND, Balmus NC, Fikrig E, van Dam AP. Infectivity of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato is unaltered in C3-deficient mice. Ticks And Tick-borne Diseases 2010, 2: 20-26. PMID: 21771533, DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2010.10.003.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsWT miceAbsence of C3B. burgdorferiB. afzeliiQuantitative PCRDifferent Borrelia speciesC3 knockout miceC3-deficient miceComplement-deficient miceWild-type miceB. afzelii infectionBorrelia burgdorferi sensu latoHuman complementInflammation scoreBurgdorferi sensu latoB. bavariensisAfzelii infectionBorrelia speciesKnockout miceMiceHeart tissueWeeksB. gariniiBurgdorferiSignificant differences
2009
Antibodies against a Tick Protein, Salp15, Protect Mice from the Lyme Disease Agent
Dai J, Wang P, Adusumilli S, Booth CJ, Narasimhan S, Anguita J, Fikrig E. Antibodies against a Tick Protein, Salp15, Protect Mice from the Lyme Disease Agent. Cell Host & Microbe 2009, 6: 482-492. PMID: 19917502, PMCID: PMC2843562, DOI: 10.1016/j.chom.2009.10.006.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsArthropod-borne pathogensTick-borne BorreliaTick salivary proteinsTick proteinsB. burgdorferiLyme diseaseDisease agentsTick-borne illnessB. burgdorferi infectionLyme disease agentHuman vaccinesSalp15Infection of miceB. burgdorferi antigensMicrobial toxinsMammalian hostsBorrelia burgdorferiPathogensMechanism of actionBurgdorferi infectionProtect miceMedical importanceBurgdorferiProtective capacityMicePassage through Ixodes scapularis Ticks Enhances the Virulence of a Weakly Pathogenic Isolate of Borrelia burgdorferi
Adusumilli S, Booth CJ, Anguita J, Fikrig E. Passage through Ixodes scapularis Ticks Enhances the Virulence of a Weakly Pathogenic Isolate of Borrelia burgdorferi. Infection And Immunity 2009, 78: 138-144. PMID: 19822652, PMCID: PMC2798202, DOI: 10.1128/iai.00470-09.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsIxodes scapularis ticksCommon tick-borne illnessScapularis ticksTick-borne illnessB. burgdorferi sensu strictoC3H miceBurgdorferi sensu strictoLyme diseaseMiceHigh expression levelsBorrelia burgdorferiB. burgdorferiTick engorgementExpression levelsSpirochetesDiseaseArray analysisSyringe inoculationBurgdorferiPathogenic isolatesIsolatesI. scapularisArthritisVirulencePathogenesisLate Manifestations of Lyme Borreliosis
Hovius J, van Dam A, Fikrig E. Late Manifestations of Lyme Borreliosis. 2009, 9-25. DOI: 10.1128/9781555815486.ch2.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchLyme borreliosisObjective clinical manifestationsFrequent clinical signsB. burgdorferiB. burgdorferi infectionHost immune responseCommon vector-borne diseaseClinical manifestationsErythema migransAntibiotic treatmentClinical signsBurgdorferi infectionImmune responsePositive culturesLate manifestationTick-borne pathogensLyme diseaseBorreliosisBorrelia burgdorferiDiseaseCausative agentB. afzeliiB. gariniiInfected tissuesBurgdorferi
2008
Preferential Protection of Borrelia burgdorferi Sensu Stricto by a Salp 15 Homologue in Ixodes ricinus Saliva
Hovius JW, Schuijt TJ, de Groot KA, Roelofs JJ, Oei GA, Marquart JA, de Beer R, Veer C, van der Poll T, Ramamoorthi N, Fikrig E, van Dam AP. Preferential Protection of Borrelia burgdorferi Sensu Stricto by a Salp 15 Homologue in Ixodes ricinus Saliva. The Journal Of Infectious Diseases 2008, 198: 1189-1197. PMID: 18752445, PMCID: PMC4317250, DOI: 10.1086/591917.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsAntibody-mediated killingB. burgdorferiB. afzeliiB. gariniiEnzyme-linked immunosorbent assaySole causative agentBorrelia burgdorferi sensu latoBorrelia speciesSevere carditisOuter surface protein CImmune miceControl miceBorrelia burgdorferi sensu strictoBurgdorferi sensu latoSurface protein CSurvival advantageBurgdorferi sensu strictoSolid-phase overlayLyme borreliosisImmunosorbent assayProtein CCausative agentIxodes ticksBurgdorferiMiceThe Tick Salivary Protein Salp15 Inhibits the Killing of Serum-Sensitive Borrelia burgdorferi Sensu Lato Isolates
Schuijt TJ, Hovius JW, van Burgel ND, Ramamoorthi N, Fikrig E, van Dam AP. The Tick Salivary Protein Salp15 Inhibits the Killing of Serum-Sensitive Borrelia burgdorferi Sensu Lato Isolates. Infection And Immunity 2008, 76: 2888-2894. PMID: 18426890, PMCID: PMC2446733, DOI: 10.1128/iai.00232-08.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsComplement-mediated killingBurgdorferi-specific antibodiesBorrelia burgdorferiStrong protective effectSerum-sensitive isolatesNormal human serumBorrelia burgdorferi sensu latoBurgdorferi sensu latoProtective effectMembrane attack complexTick salivaLyme diseaseBorrelia burgdorferi sensu lato isolatesComplement complexI. scapularis Salp15B. burgdorferiSalp15Attack complexBurgdorferiHuman serumKillingSpirochetesIxodes scapularisIsolatesTicks
2007
Tick–host–pathogen interactions in Lyme borreliosis
Hovius JW, van Dam AP, Fikrig E. Tick–host–pathogen interactions in Lyme borreliosis. Trends In Parasitology 2007, 23: 434-438. PMID: 17656156, DOI: 10.1016/j.pt.2007.07.001.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsVertebrate hostsB. burgdorferi survivalB. burgdorferi genesEnzootic life cycleSpirochete survivalGene productsB. burgdorferiArthropod vectorsGenesVector moleculesLife cycleDifferent environmentsHostBorrelia burgdorferiIxodes ticksTROSPATicksSpirochetal agentBurgdorferiLyme borreliosisMicrobesSalp15ExpressionSurvivalRole of Outer Surface Protein D in the Borrelia burgdorferi Life Cycle
Li X, Neelakanta G, Liu X, Beck DS, Kantor FS, Fish D, Anderson JF, Fikrig E. Role of Outer Surface Protein D in the Borrelia burgdorferi Life Cycle. Infection And Immunity 2007, 75: 4237-4244. PMID: 17620358, PMCID: PMC1951184, DOI: 10.1128/iai.00632-07.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsB. burgdorferiSecond blood mealMurine modelSpirochete transmissionB. burgdorferi persistenceLyme borreliosisMiceB. burgdorferi strainsProtein DI. scapularisTick gutBlood mealBurgdorferi strainsSpirochete life cycleBurgdorferiGut extractsIxodes scapularisB. burgdorferi infectivityThreefold decreaseHost-specific signalsScapularisTicksBorreliosis
2006
The Lyme disease agent Borrelia burgdorferi requires BB0690, a Dps homologue, to persist within ticks
Li X, Pal U, Ramamoorthi N, Liu X, Desrosiers DC, Eggers CH, Anderson JF, Radolf JD, Fikrig E. The Lyme disease agent Borrelia burgdorferi requires BB0690, a Dps homologue, to persist within ticks. Molecular Microbiology 2006, 63: 694-710. PMID: 17181780, DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2958.2006.05550.x.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchDisruption of the salivary protein 14 in Ixodes scapularis nymphs and impact on pathogen acquisition.
Pedra JH, Narasimhan S, Deponte K, Marcantonio N, Kantor FS, Fikrig E. Disruption of the salivary protein 14 in Ixodes scapularis nymphs and impact on pathogen acquisition. American Journal Of Tropical Medicine And Hygiene 2006, 75: 677-82. PMID: 17038693, DOI: 10.4269/ajtmh.2006.75.677.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsScapularis nymphsProtein 14Adult Ixodes scapularisIxodes scapularis nymphsI. scapularisBorrelia burgdorferiTick feedingI. scapularis nymphsB. burgdorferiFamily expressionEngorgement weightTick weightPhysiological rolePathogen acquisitionBurgdorferiIxodes scapularisRNA interferenceExpressionDifferent mechanismsFeedingScapularisBorrelia burgdorferi Lacking BBK32, a Fibronectin-Binding Protein, Retains Full Pathogenicity
Li X, Liu X, Beck DS, Kantor FS, Fikrig E. Borrelia burgdorferi Lacking BBK32, a Fibronectin-Binding Protein, Retains Full Pathogenicity. Infection And Immunity 2006, 74: 3305-3313. PMID: 16714558, PMCID: PMC1479267, DOI: 10.1128/iai.02035-05.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsB. burgdorferiFlat ticksB. burgdorferi proteinsTick biteSpirochete acquisitionLyme disease spirocheteAdverse effectsBorrelia burgdorferiFibronectin-binding proteinBurgdorferiFibronectin binding proteinMiceSpirochete life cycleLyme pathogenesisB. burgdorferi B31Mammalian hostsSyringe inoculationExpression profilesBBK32Surface lipoproteinsFibronectin bindingPathogenesisExpressionInfectionTemporal expression profiles
2005
Association of Linear Plasmid 28-1 with an Arthritic Phenotype of Borrelia burgdorferi
Xu Q, Seemanapalli SV, Lomax L, McShan K, Li X, Fikrig E, Liang FT. Association of Linear Plasmid 28-1 with an Arthritic Phenotype of Borrelia burgdorferi. Infection And Immunity 2005, 73: 7208-7215. PMID: 16239515, PMCID: PMC1273894, DOI: 10.1128/iai.73.11.7208-7215.2005.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsSevere combined immunodeficiencyArthritic phenotypeLp28-1Linear plasmid 28Borrelia burgdorferiArthritic pathologySevere arthritisSpirochete burdenSCID miceJoint tissuesLoss of plasmidsCombined immunodeficiencyPlasmid content analysisLyme disease spirocheteInfectivity studiesPlasmid patternsDecreased infectivityVirulence factorsFurther studiesMiceBurgdorferiBacterial quantificationPathogenicity studiesTissuePhenotypeDetection of antibodies to Borrelia burgdorferi in naturally infected horses in the USA by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay using whole-cell and recombinant antigens
Magnarelli L, Fikrig E. Detection of antibodies to Borrelia burgdorferi in naturally infected horses in the USA by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay using whole-cell and recombinant antigens. Research In Veterinary Science 2005, 79: 99-103. PMID: 15924926, DOI: 10.1016/j.rvsc.2004.11.009.Peer-Reviewed Original Research
2004
TROSPA, an Ixodes scapularis Receptor for Borrelia burgdorferi
Pal U, Li X, Wang T, Montgomery RR, Ramamoorthi N, deSilva AM, Bao F, Yang X, Pypaert M, Pradhan D, Kantor FS, Telford S, Anderson JF, Fikrig E. TROSPA, an Ixodes scapularis Receptor for Borrelia burgdorferi. Cell 2004, 119: 457-468. PMID: 15537536, DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2004.10.027.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchMeSH KeywordsAmino Acid SequenceAnimalsAntibodies, BacterialAntigens, SurfaceBacterial Outer Membrane ProteinsBacterial VaccinesBase SequenceBorrelia burgdorferiCloning, MolecularGene Expression RegulationHost-Parasite InteractionsIntestinesIxodesLipoproteinsMiceMice, Inbred C3HMolecular Sequence DataReceptors, Cell SurfaceRecombinant ProteinsConceptsLyme disease agent Borrelia burgdorferiSurvival of spirochetesTick receptorMammalian hostsRNA interferenceEfficient colonizationTROSPAOuter surface protein ABorrelia burgdorferiPathogen adherencePathogen transmissionProtein AB. burgdorferi outer surface protein AMRNA levelsIxodes scapularisB. burgdorferiColonizationSurface protein AReceptorsArthropodsBurgdorferiMammalsRepressionSpirochetesTicksProtective Niche for Borrelia burgdorferi to Evade Humoral Immunity
Liang FT, Brown EL, Wang T, Iozzo RV, Fikrig E. Protective Niche for Borrelia burgdorferi to Evade Humoral Immunity. American Journal Of Pathology 2004, 165: 977-985. PMID: 15331421, PMCID: PMC1618599, DOI: 10.1016/s0002-9440(10)63359-7.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsChronic infectionHumoral immunityProtective nicheB. burgdorferiDecorin expressionLower decorin expressionDecorin-deficient miceWild-type miceStrong immune responseDecorin-binding protein ASpirochete burdenUrinary bladderImmune responsePersistent infectionMurine infectionEarly infectionInfectionExtracellular microbesDbpA expressionLyme disease spirocheteBorrelia burgdorferiC expressionTargeted disruptionBurgdorferiMice