title: Serum complement sensitivity as a key factor in Lyme disease ecology.
abstract: The sensitivity of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato to animal sera was analyzed. Complement-mediated borreliacidal effects were observed with particular combinations of host serum and Borrelia genospecies. The species-specific pattern of viability and/or lysis is highly consistent with the pattern of reservoir competence of hosts for B. burgdorferi sensu lato, suggesting a key role of complement in the global ecology of Lyme borreliosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, United Kingdom. kku@mail.nerc-oxford.ac.uk
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kurtenbach
authors.forename: H S
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Sewell
authors.forename: N H
authors.initials: NH
authors.lastname: Ogden
authors.forename: S E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Randolph
authors.forename: P A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Nuttall
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001433:Bacteriolysis; D003165:Complement System Proteins / Q000502:physiology*; D006224:Cricetinae; D004463:Ecology; D006801:Humans; D008193:Lyme Disease / Q000276:immunology* / Q000635:transmission; D008647:Mesocricetus; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D009115:Muridae; D013045:Species Specificity
chemical_list: D003165:Complement System Proteins