title: The domestic pig as a potential model for Borrelia skin infection.
abstract: The skin lesion erythema migrans is a characteristic early manifestation of Lyme borreliosis in humans. However, the pathomechanisms leading to development of this erythema are not fully understood. Models that mimic human skin would enhance research in this field. Human and porcine skin structures strongly resemble each other. Therefore, we attempted to induce erythema migrans lesions in experimental Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato infection in the skin of domestic pigs. The formation of erythema migrans-like lesions was observed after intradermal injection of these spirochetes, with the lesions forming very clearly in 2/6 animals when a strain of B. garinii was used. However, no molecular or clinical proof of systemic infection of the pigs with B. afzelii, B. burgdorferi sensu stricto, or B. garinii could be achieved.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Hygiene and Applied Immunology, Center for Pathophysiology, Infectiology and Immunology, Medical University of Vienna, Austria. Electronic address: michael.a.reiter@meduniwien.ac.at.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Reiter
authors.affiliation: University Clinic for Swine, Department for Farm Animals and Veterinary Public Health, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Knecht
authors.affiliation: Institute for Hygiene and Applied Immunology, Center for Pathophysiology, Infectiology and Immunology, Medical University of Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Müller
authors.affiliation: Institute for Hygiene and Applied Immunology, Center for Pathophysiology, Infectiology and Immunology, Medical University of Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Anna-Margarita
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Schötta
authors.affiliation: Clinical Unit of Internal Medicine Small Animals, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Leschnik
authors.affiliation: Institute for Hygiene and Applied Immunology, Center for Pathophysiology, Infectiology and Immunology, Medical University of Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Michiel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wijnveld
authors.affiliation: Institute for Pathology and Forensic Veterinary Medicine, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Herbert
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Weissenböck
authors.affiliation: Institute for Hygiene and Applied Immunology, Center for Pathophysiology, Infectiology and Immunology, Medical University of Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Hannes
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Stockinger
authors.affiliation: Institute for Hygiene and Applied Immunology, Center for Pathophysiology, Infectiology and Immunology, Medical University of Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Gerold
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Stanek
authors.affiliation: University Clinic for Swine, Department for Farm Animals and Veterinary Public Health, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Wolfgang
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Sipos
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001899:Borrelia Infections / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D015748:Borrelia burgdorferi Group; D017192:Skin Diseases, Bacterial / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D013552:Swine; D013553:Swine Diseases / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000473:pathology
keywords: Borrelia; Erythema; Lyme; Pigs; Skin