Detection of persistent forms of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto in infected mice after antibiotic treatment

Abstract

Antibiotic treatment of Lyme disease is a challenging procedure with unexpected outcomes that may arise sometime. According to standard protocols recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, USA (CDC) for early Lyme disease, a short course of oral antibiotics cures the majority of cases. This thesis deals with the analysis of the efficiency of 2 majorly used antibiotics, doxycycline and amoxicillin, in elimination of Borrelia infection on laboratory mice model after 2 weeks of treatment. Our results confirmed the presence of persistent forms of spirochetes in mice tissues after antibiotic treatment using the spirochete cultivation method in liquid MKP medium.