Pathogen and Host Response Dynamics in a Mouse Model of Borrelia hermsii Relapsing Fever.

ABSTRACT: Most Borrelia species that cause tick-borne relapsing fever utilize rodents as their natural reservoirs, and for decades laboratory-bred rodents have served as informative experimental models for the disease. However, while there has much progress in understanding the pathogenetic mechanisms, including antigenic variation, of the pathogen, the host side of the equation has been neglected. Using different approaches, we studied, in immunocompetent inbred mice, the dynamics of infection with and host responses to North American relapsing fever agent B. hermsii. The spirochete's generation time in blood of infected mice was between 4-5 h and, after a delay, was matched in rate by the increase of specific agglutinating antibodies in response to the infection. After initiating ser

SUBMITTER: Crowder CD 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5606581 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature