OspA L03 Group2: Difference between revisions
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=== Spirochetes and Lyme Disease === | === Spirochetes and Lyme Disease === | ||
[[Image:220px-Erythema_migrans_-_erythematous_rash_in_Lyme_disease_-_PHIL_9875.jpg|thumb|250px|alt=text|''Erythema Migrans, also known as the "Bull's Eye Wound"'']] | |||
First recognized in 1957, [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lyme_disease Lyme disease] has been estimated to affect between 20 and 100 cases per 100,000 individuals in the United States (Rupprecht, 2008). The peak infection rates of this disease occur approximately between the months of May and August in North America (Onrust, 2000). The causative agent for this disease is a bacterial vector of [http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/bacteria/spirochetes.html spirochetes], called [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Borrelia_burgdorferi Borrelia burgdorferi], which were found in the gut of the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ixodes Ixodes] tick (Burgdorfer, 1982). The bacteria spread through the bite of the tick forming severe skin lesions. Other health complications include chronic [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arthritis arthritis], and neurologic and cardiac abnormalities (Burgdorferi, 1982). From 10-12 weeks of infestation, other symptoms like [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erythema_chronicum_migrans erythema chronicum migrans] begin to appear as well(Burgdorferi, 1982). Studies were first conducted through New Zealand white rabbits (Burgdorferi, 1982) through the use of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Immunofluorescence indirect immunofluorescence]. | |||
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==Past Experiments on the Effects of OspA== | ==Past Experiments on the Effects of OspA== | ||
Experiments were done using mice to test the effects of OspA on Borrelia bacteria as Lyme diseases progressed in the host. Only when OspA expression was positive the borrelia bacteria in the host admitted to apoptosis. When the outer surface protein was not present the Borrelia bacteria survived and the mice later suffered through skin lesions <ref name=Ding >PMID: 11183781</ref>. On the other hand, if the vaccine with OspA is administered, or the bacteria has moved to a different environment of the cerebrospinal fluid or an inflammatory environment, the bacteria will activate and start to regulate OspA <ref name=Ding >PMID: 11183781</ref> by activating B-cells. Later this induced astrogliosis. | Experiments were done using mice to test the effects of OspA on Borrelia bacteria as Lyme diseases progressed in the host. Only when OspA expression was positive the borrelia bacteria in the host admitted to apoptosis. When the outer surface protein was not present the Borrelia bacteria survived and the mice later suffered through skin lesions <ref name=Ding >PMID: 11183781</ref>. On the other hand, if the vaccine with OspA is administered, or the bacteria has moved to a different environment of the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cerebrospinal_fluid cerebrospinal fluid] or an inflammatory environment, the bacteria will activate and start to regulate OspA <ref name=Ding >PMID: 11183781</ref> by activating B-cells. Later this induced [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Astrogliosis astrogliosis]. | ||