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. 1998 Mar;66(3):1248-51.
doi: 10.1128/IAI.66.3.1248-1251.1998.

Serum complement sensitivity as a key factor in Lyme disease ecology

K Kurtenbach  1 , H S Sewell, N H Ogden, S E Randolph, P A Nuttall
Affiliations

Serum complement sensitivity as a key factor in Lyme disease ecology

K Kurtenbach et al. Infect Immun. 1998 Mar.

Abstract

The sensitivity of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato to animal sera was analyzed. Complement-mediated borreliacidal effects were observed with particular combinations of host serum and Borrelia genospecies. The species-specific pattern of viability and/or lysis is highly consistent with the pattern of reservoir competence of hosts for B. burgdorferi sensu lato, suggesting a key role of complement in the global ecology of Lyme borreliosis.

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