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Journal of Clinical Microbiology, December 1999, p. 3965-3970, Vol. 37, No. 12
0095-1137/99/$04.00+0
Copyright © 1999, American Society for Microbiology. All rights reserved.

Genetic Analysis of Borrelia garinii OspA Serotype 4 Strains Associated with Neuroborreliosis: Evidence for Extensive Genetic Homogeneity

R. T. Marconi,1 S. Hohenberger,2 S. Jauris-Heipke,2 U. Schulte-Spechtel,2 C. P. LaVoie,1 D. Rößler,2 and B. Wilske2,*

Medical College of Virginia at Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia 23298-0678,1 and Max von Pettenkofer Institut, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, D-80336 Munich, Germany2

Received 27 May 1999/Returned for modification 22 July 1999/Accepted 19 August 1999

Infection with Borrelia garinii outer surface protein (Osp) A serotype 4 strains has been correlated with the development of neuroborreliosis in Lyme borreliosis patients in Europe. OspA serotype 4 isolates have been recovered primarily from human cerebrospinal fluid, suggesting a tropism for this environment. Previous studies with monoclonal antibodies directed against OspA and OspC demonstrated that OspA serotype 4 strains are antigenically closely related. In view of the pronounced antigenic and genetic variability that has been noted in the Osps of other Borrelia isolates, we sought to determine if OspA serotype 4 strains represent a recently emerged clonal lineage of B. garinii. Toward this goal, a representative group of OspA serotype 4 strains was analyzed for traits that typically exhibit hypervariability among isolates that cause Lyme borreliosis. The following criteria were assessed: (i) ospC sequences, (ii) plasmid composition, (iii) genomic restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) patterns, and (iv) the RFLP patterns of the upstream homology box (UHB) element which flanks members of the UHB gene family at their 5' end. Collectively, these analyses demonstrate genetic homogeneity, suggesting that OspA serotype 4 strains are a recently emerged clonal lineage with an apparent tropism for the central nervous system.

* Corresponding author. Mailing address: Max von Pettenkofer Institut, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Pettenkoferstrasse 9 a, D-80336, Munich, Germany. Phone: 49-89-51605225. Fax: 49-89-51604757. E-mail: Bettina.Wilske{at}mvp-bak.med.uni-muenchen.de.

Journal of Clinical Microbiology, December 1999, p. 3965-3970, Vol. 37, No. 12
0095-1137/99/$04.00+0
Copyright © 1999, American Society for Microbiology. All rights reserved.


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