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Updated: Jun 30, 2026
Feeding of Ticks on Animals for Transmission and Xenodiagnosis in Lyme Disease Research
Published on: August 31, 2013
Establishment of a laboratory mouse model to study Borrelia miyamotoi infection and disease
Linda K Bockenstedt1, Alexia A Belperron1, Jialing Mao1
1Dept of Internal Medicine, Section of Rheumatology, Allergy and Immunology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, United States.
Abstract:
Borrelia miyamotoi is an emerging relapsing fever spirochete transmitted by Ixodes spp. ticks that serve as vectors for other human pathogens, including the agents of Lyme disease. To date, an animal model to study tick-borne B. miyamotoi infection and pathology has not been reported. Here, we describe the development of a laboratory mouse model of infection using clinical isolate CT14D4 derived from the blood of a Connecticut resident with disseminated Lyme disease. Genomic analysis revealed that the CT14D4 genome was similar to other B. miyamotoi strains isolated from Ixodes scapularis ticks in the eastern United States. We show that CT14D4 can be propagated in mice by needle inoculation and through a tick-mouse infection cycle. Relapsing spirochetemia was observed in wild-type (WT), Myd88 -/-, and splenectomized mice, all of which eventually cleared the infections. In contrast, Rag1 -/- mice lacking B and T cells remain persistently bacteremic. WT mice that had cleared CT14D4 infection are resistant to reinfection with this B. miyamotoi strain. Spirochetes were visualized in several organs after perfusion fixation of infected Rag1 -/- mice, including the brain, with histopathology revealing extramedullary hematopoiesis and inflammatory infiltrates that were most pronounced in the liver. WT mice exhibited similar but milder pathology during periods of bacteremia. These studies provide a useful model to study hard-tick relapsing fever pathogenesis and disease.
Insights
Researchers developed a mouse model for Borrelia miyamotoi infection, an emerging tick-borne relapsing fever. This model aids in studying B. miyamotoi pathogenesis and disease, offering insights into tick-borne illnesses.
Area of Science:
- Medical Entomology
- Infectious Diseases
- Pathogen Biology
Background:
- Borrelia miyamotoi is an emerging relapsing fever spirochete transmitted by Ixodes ticks.
- Ixodes ticks also transmit Lyme disease agents, highlighting the importance of understanding B. miyamotoi.
- An established animal model for B. miyamotoi infection and pathology was previously lacking.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop and characterize a laboratory mouse model for Borrelia miyamotoi infection.
- To investigate the pathogenesis and host immune response to B. miyamotoi using this model.
- To assess the potential for reinfection in mice that have cleared B. miyamotoi.
Main Methods:
- Infection of mice (wild-type, Myd88-/-, Rag1-/-, and splenectomized) via needle inoculation and tick-mouse transmission using a clinical B. miyamotoi isolate (CT14D4).
- Monitoring for spirochetemia, bacterial clearance, and host pathology.
- Genomic analysis of the B. miyamotoi isolate.
- Histopathological examination of infected organs.
Main Results:
- A reproducible mouse model for B. miyamotoi infection was established, supporting both needle inoculation and tick-borne transmission.
- Relapsing spirochetemia was observed in wild-type, Myd88-/-, and splenectomized mice, with eventual clearance.
- Rag1-/- mice exhibited persistent bacteremia, indicating the role of adaptive immunity in controlling B. miyamotoi.
- Cleared infections conferred resistance to reinfection in wild-type mice.
- Histopathology revealed extramedullary hematopoiesis and inflammatory infiltrates, particularly in the liver and brain of Rag1-/- mice.
Conclusions:
- The developed mouse model is effective for studying Borrelia miyamotoi infection, pathogenesis, and host-pathogen interactions.
- The model facilitates research into hard-tick relapsing fever and associated diseases.
- Findings highlight the importance of the adaptive immune response in controlling B. miyamotoi infections.
