IMMUNOGENICALLY ACTIVE FRACTIONS OF BORRELIA BURGDORFERI

摘要

Novel immunogenically active fractions B, C and E of Borrelia burgdorferi may be obtained by a method which as a first step comprises lysing B. burgdorferi spirochaete cells with a mild non-denaturating detergent, e.g. octyl- beta -D-glucopyranoside, so as to release outer membrane and cytoplasmic components from the cells. The fractions are substantially free from cell wall and flagellar components of B. burgdorferi, e.g. free from flagellin, and have substantially the same reactivity with sera from patients with Lyme disease as that of whole cells of B. burgdorferi, but with substantially less reactivity with sera from syphilitic patients. The fractions, in particular fraction B, are useful for immunization against and diagnosis of Lyme disease. Also disclosed is a DNA fragment encoding an antigenic polypeptide related to the outer membrane protein OspA.