A genetic analysis of Lyme disease bacteria may pave the way for improved diagnosis, treatment and prevention of the tick-borne ailment.
By mapping the complete genetic makeup of 47 strains of Lyme disease-causing bacteria from around the world, the international team has created a powerful resource for identifying the specific bacterial strains that infect patients. Researchers said this could enable more accurate diagnostic tests and treatments tailored to the exact type or types of bacteria causing each patient’s illness.
“This comprehensive, high-quality sequencing investigation of Lyme disease and related bacteria provides the foundation to propel the field forward,” said Steven Schutzer, a Rutgers New Jersey Medical School professor and coauthor of the study published in mBio. “Every modern research project — from clinical to public health to ecology and evolution to bacterial physiology to medical-tool development to host-bacteria interaction — will benefit from this work.” Researchers said the genetic information uncovered in this study — which explains how the bacteria evolves and spreads and the genes are essential for survival — may help scientists develop more effective vaccines against Lyme disease. To read the full story.