New Findings Reported from Umea University Describe Advances in Borrelia burgdorferi (Survival of Borrelia burgdorferi Strain B31 in Human Serum Is Not Dependent on C4BP Binding to the Bacterial Surface).

Researchers at Umea University in Sweden conducted a study on Borrelia burgdorferi, the spirochetes responsible for Lyme disease. The study focused on the survival mechanisms of these bacteria within the host, specifically examining the role of complement regulators C4b-binding protein (C4BP) and factor H (FH) in human serum. The findings showed that the absence of C4BP did not affect the survival of B. burgdorferi strain B31, while the removal of FH increased its sensitivity to human serum. The study also highlighted the unique host species specificity of the B. garinii seabird-isolated strain Far04. [Extracted from the article]