According to a story from the Lyme Disease Association, researchers from the University of Maryland have discovered at least part of the method by which the bacteria responsible for Lyme disease are able to persist in the body for long periods. The manner in which the bacteria can survive for long periods has long been a mystery and has made Lyme disease a challenging disease to manage.
Lyme disease is a tick borne illness cause by bacteria of the genus Borrelia. The species involved tends to vary depending on the region. The disease can cause a range of symptoms that change depending on the extent of infection. Early symptoms include a distinct ‘bull’s eye’ rash, flu-like symptoms, such as muscle soreness and headache. As the disease progresses, symptoms like meningitis, neck stiffness, severe headaches, facial paralysis, inflammation, and heartbeat irregularities. More severe disease can be mentally and physically debilitating. The primary carrier in the U.S. is the deer tick or black-legged tick, Ixodes scapularis. If detected and treated early, Lyme disease can be cured, but a small percentage of patients report occasional symptoms that can occur for months after treatment. A small percentage of infected people are asymptomatic. To learn more about Lyme disease, click here.
The lingering of symptoms, as well as difficulties in testing and detecting Borrelia in the body, has suggested that the bacteria has evolved strategies that affect the activity of the immune system. This study revealed that a protein released by the bacteria can actually disable some the body’s earliest immune response methods. However, it is clear that more research will be needed in order to fully understand Borrelia‘s capabilities. It is one of very few pathogenic bacteria that can remain unaffected in the body for long periods. Researchers also noted that, even without the immune disabling protein present, the bacteria can still reappear in the body in a matter of weeks.
This suggests that the bacteria has a back-up method for surviving an onslaught from the patient’s immune system that will have to be investigated further. The data also highlights the value of early intervention in Lyme disease.
