Differentiation of Borrelia Burgdorferi Isolates from Ticks and Humans By Different Monoclonal Antibodies in Immunofluorescence

Abstract

The clinical symptoms of Lyme borreliosis in Europe and USA show similarities. In contrast, immunological analysis of strains of Borrelia burgdorferi, the etiologic agent of the disease provided evidence of polymorphisms of the protein patterns. Wilske et al. (1986) suggested that owing to the considerable heterogeneity of antigens, serological tests should be carried out with local Borrelia strains. Even if this opinion has changed in the meantime, the serological differentiation of B. burgdorferi isolates by different monoclonal antibodies (MAB) is important for two reasons:

• 1. Using MABs in the immunofluorescence test (IFT) of B. burgdorferi, isolates from Europe and USA have shown differences in the presentation of the proteins OspA and OspB (Barbour and Schrumpf, 1986). All 24 American strains reacted with the MABs H 5332 and H 3TS, and of 21 European strains, 20 reacted with H 5332 and only three with H3TS.

• 2. The identification of 57 B. burgdorferi strains, isolated from ticks of the woodlands in Berlin, provided results which differ from those of Barbour and Schrumpf (1986): 56 strains showed reaction with H 5332 and 38 with H 3TS; one was negative with both MABs (Schmidt and Schönberg, 1990).