A team led by CUNY Graduate Center biologists has produced a genetic analysis of Lyme disease bacteria that may pave the way for improved diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of the tick-borne ailment.
Weigang Qiu, a professor of biology at the CUNY Graduate Center and Hunter College, and an international team mapped the complete genetic makeup of 47 strains of Lyme disease-related bacteria from around the world. This created a powerful tool for identifying the bacterial strains that infect patients.
More accurate tests and treatments?
Researchers said this could enable more accurate diagnostic tests and treatments tailored to the bacteria causing each patient’s illness.
“By understanding how these bacteria evolve and exchange genetic material, we’re better equipped to monitor their spread and respond to their ability to cause disease in humans,” said Qiu, the corresponding author of the study.
The study was published in mBio, the flagship journal of the American Society for Microbiology.
Researchers said the genetic information uncovered in the study may help scientists develop more effective vaccines against Lyme disease.
Lyme disease is the most common tick-borne illness in North America and Europe, affecting hundreds of thousands of people a year. The disease arises from bacteria belonging to the Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato group, which infect people through the bite of infected ticks. Symptoms can include fever, headache, fatigue, and a characteristic skin rash. If left untreated, the infection can spread to joints, the heart, and the nervous system, causing more severe complications.
Case numbers are increasing steadily, with 476,000 new cases each year in the United States, and may grow faster with climate change, the authors of the study said………..Join or login below to continue reading.
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