CSM Murray Award Lecture – Functional studies of the Lyme disease spirochete – from molecules to mice
Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, and Department of Microbiology & Infectious Diseases, University of Calgary
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Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, and Department of Microbiology & Infectious Diseases, University of Calgary
Assessment of the microbial diversity residing in arthropod vectors of medical importance is crucial for monitoring endemic infections, for surveillance of newly emerging zoonotic pathogens, and for unraveling the associated bacteria within its host.
Human granulocytic anaplasmosis (HGA) is an emerging tick-borne disease in China. A cluster of cases among health care workers and family members following exposure to a patient with fulminant disease consistent with HGA prompted investigation.
The objective of the follow-up study was to determine the long-term outcome of strictly classified cases of neuroborreliosis treated with antibiotics.
The Lyme disease spirochete, Borrelia burgdorferi, is an extracellular microbe that causes persistent infection despite the development of strong immune responses against the bacterium.
My research focuses on the functions of phagocytic cells, both macrophages and neutrophils, and their interaction with the Lyme disease spirochete, Borrelia burgdorferi. We are exploring the paradox of spirochete persistence in vivo despite rapid and efficient killing by phagocytes in vitro.
University scientists have made a key advance in understanding the proteins and mechanisms involved in the spread of Lyme disease, a finding that could lead to a vaccine against the tick-borne illness that affects thousands of people each year.
As world leaders gather in Copenhagen at the United Nations Climate Change conference, animal health experts warn of the potential impact of global warming on family pets.
The Canadian Lyme Disease Foundation is dedicated to promoting research, education, diagnosis and treatment of Lyme and associated diseases.