1. Borrelia burgdorferi Gram-negative helical shaped spirochete bacteria
L. Haupt F2013
Modified by DYH
Borrelia burgdorferi
Gram-negative helical shaped spirochete bacteria
1 μm wide; μm long
Flagella located inside the periplasm between the inner and outer cell membranes
Able to travel through viscous fluids and materials (i.e. tissues)
Uses NAG as an E source
Causative agent of Lyme disease – tick transmission
Stage 1 infection causes rashes, fatigue, fever, headache, and muscle and joint aches
Stage 2 infection causes facial palsy, meningitis, extreme joint pain, and heart palpitations
Stage 3 infection causes arthritis and severe joint pain and swelling
microbewiki.kenyon.edu
borreliaburgdorferi.org

2. Borrelia burgdorferi Large linear chromosome with 910,725 bps
21 other linear and circular plasmids
May encode virulent DNA
Ip25 genes involved in infection
BBE22 encodes a nicotinamidase
Tick produces Salp15 – binds to B. burgdorferi and protects it from host immune system
Mechanisms of infection are not well known
Outer surface proteins OspA and OspC promote survival
OspA more prevalent while in tick; OspC more prevalent while in human
Uses small mammals as hosts, infection of humans is inadvertent
Nature Reviews Microbiology