Borrelia afzelii

Classification

Higher order taxa:

Kingdom: Bacteria, Phylum: Spirochaetes, Class: Spriochaetes, Order: Spirochaetales, Family: Spirochaetaceae, Genus: Borrelia

Species

Borrelia burgdorferi, Borrelia lonestari, Borrelia recurrentis

Description and Significance

Borrelia afzelli is considered a new species of the Genus Borrelia and considered homologous to Borrelia burgdorferi with regard to phenotypic, genetic, and immunological characteristics. Diseases linked to this species of Borrelia are Lyme disease and Acrodermatitis chronica atrophicans (ACA) found, almost prevanlently, in Europe. Better understanding of the structure and function of this pathogen will create better methods of treatment to people with the diseases it causes.

Genome Structure

The genome sequencing of this particular strain is still underway as it is still a very new strain. However, all previous species of Borrelia have had linear chromosomes, ranging in sizes from 900-920kb pairs having circular and linear plasmids. Also, it is thought that the strain B. afzelii has recently derived from B. burgdorferi

Cell Structure and Metabolism

The phenotype of the species afzelli include being, a motile, nonsporulating, spirally-shaped, aerobic, pathogen. Also, it is a gram negative bacterium and is generally transmitted through ticks. Being spirally-shaped, allows it to penetrate deep into its hosts avoiding recognition of an immune response.

References

Toshiyuki Masuzawa*, Tetsuro Komikado, Kazuhide Kaneda, Takako Fukui, Katsuji Sawaki and Yasutake Yanagihara Department of Microbiology, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Shizuoka, 52-1 Yada, Shizuoka, Shizuoka 422, Japan Received 15 April 1997; revised 21 May 1997; accepted 28 May 1997. Available online 7 November 1997.