Brorson O, Brorson S H
Dept. of Microbiology, Ullevål University Hospital, Oslo, Norway.
Infection. 1997 Jul-Aug;25(4):240-6. doi: 10.1007/BF01713153.
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the behaviour of Borrelia burgdorferi under controlled conditions. The occurrence of cystic forms of Borrelia burgdorferi in vitro was noted, and these cysts were able to be transformed to normal, mobile spirochetes. B. burgdorferi was cultivated in a commercial culture medium without serum. The spirochetes multiplied only slowly in this medium, and transformation to encysted forms was observed after 1 week. When these cysts were transferred to the same culture medium with rabbit serum, the encysted forms developed into regular, mobile spirochetes after 6 weeks, and their regeneration time was normal. Examination of these cysts in the transmission electron microscope revealed transverse fission inside the cysts. It is probable that similar phenomena may occur in vivo under conditions unfavourable for spirochetes. These observations may help to explain why diagnosis and treatment of B. burgdorferi infections in humans can be difficult.
本研究的目的是评估伯氏疏螺旋体在可控条件下的行为。注意到伯氏疏螺旋体在体外出现了囊肿形式，并且这些囊肿能够转化为正常的、可移动的螺旋体。伯氏疏螺旋体在无血清的商业培养基中培养。螺旋体在这种培养基中繁殖缓慢，1周后观察到向包囊形式的转化。当将这些囊肿转移到含有兔血清的相同培养基中时，包囊形式在6周后发育成规则的、可移动的螺旋体，并且它们的再生时间正常。在透射电子显微镜下检查这些囊肿发现囊肿内有横向分裂。在不利于螺旋体的条件下，体内可能会发生类似现象。这些观察结果可能有助于解释为什么人类伯氏疏螺旋体感染的诊断和治疗可能会很困难。
