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Persistence of borrelia burgdorferi and histopathological alterations in experimentally infected animals. A comparison with histopathological findings in human Lyme disease

Persistenz von Borrelia burgdorferi und histopathologische Veränderungen in experimentell infizierten Gerbils

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Summary

Gerbils appear to be susceptible to infection by human isolates ofBorrelia burgdorferi; we obtained 100% infection. Isolation of theB. burgdorferi from different organs six months post infection causes a generalized infection thus demonstrating that borreliae persist in these animals for a long period. Spirochetemia was present for 14 days, apparently in two intervals. TheBorrelia burgdorferi specific antibody titers increased with time after infection thus indicating the persistence of spirochetes. The intraperitoneal inoculation of theB. burgdorferi to six gerbils of groups A and B induced significant histopathologic changes in most of the major organ systems and their surrounding adipose and fibrous connective tissues. The infiltrates consisted mainly of lymphocytes and histiocytes. Various numbers of plasma cells, eosinophils and high numbers of mast cells were also present. Three further animals which served as controls displayed no histological signs of inflammation in any organ system. No significant differences were noted between the histopathological findings seen in the animals of groups A and B (infected with cells from subcultures no. 25 and with no. 5, respectively). The persistence ofB. burgdorferi and the high number of organs involved with slight to severe signs of inflammation in this series can be compared to persistence and to the multiorgan involvement seen in human Lyme disease. Thus gerbils can serve as suitable experimental animals to study the pathogenesis of Lyme disease and the extent of organ damage caused byB. burgdorferi.

Zusammenfassung

Das Humanisolat P/Ko derBorrelia burgdorferi ist infektiös für Gerbils, wir konnten damit eine 100%ige Infektion der Tiere erreichen. Die Isolierung derB. burgdorferi aus verschiedenen Organen, sechs Monate nach der Infektion, bestätigt eine generalisierte Infektion und zeigt, daß Borrelien in diesen Tieren über Monate persistieren können. Die Spirochätemie wurde 14 Tage beobachtet und erfolgte in zwei Intervallen. Die intraperitoneale Inokulation derB. burgdorferi an sechs Gerbils der Gruppen A und B (infiziert mit 25. bzw. 5. Subkultur des Erregers) verursachte signifikante histopathologische Veränderungen in der Mehrzahl der Organsysteme und dem umgebenden Gewebe. Die histologischen Befunde zeigen perivaskuläre, entzündliche Reaktionen mit Lymphozyten, Histiozyten, Plasmazellen und eosinophilen Leukozyten. Bei Kontrolltieren wurden keine Zeichen von Entzündungen in keinem der Organe festgestellt. Die histopathologischen Ergebnisse der Tiergruppen A und B sind nahezu identisch. Die Persistenz derB. burgdorferi und die hohe Zahl der betroffenen Organsysteme in dieser Versuchsserie kann mit Beobachtungen an Patienten mit Lyme-Borreliose verglichen werden. Die Ergebnisse dieser Studie bestätigen, daß Gerbils als Tiermodell für Studien der Pathogenese der Lyme-Borreliose sowie andereIn-vivo-Studien sehr geeignet sind.

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  1. Max-von-Pettenkofer-Institut, Pettenkoferstraße 9 a, W-8000, München 2

    V. Preac Mursic,  B. Wilske, S. Reinhardt & B. Groß

  2. Institut für Neuropathologie, Thalkirchnerstr. 36, W-8000, München 2, Germany

    E. Patsouris &  P. Mehraein

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Preac Mursic, V., Patsouris, E., Wilske, B. et al. Persistence of borrelia burgdorferi and histopathological alterations in experimentally infected animals. A comparison with histopathological findings in human Lyme disease. Infection 18, 332–341 (1990). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01646399

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