Chronic Lyme Disease: Persistent Clinical Symptoms Related to Immune Evasion, Antibiotic Resistance and Various Defense Mechanisms of Borrelia burgdorferi
Read full paper at: http://www.scirp.org/journal/PaperInformation.aspx?PaperID=52890#.VKtS98nQrzE Author(s) Aaron J. Smith , John Oertle , Dino Prato Affiliation(s) Envita, Scottsdale, AZ, USA . ABSTRACT There are several factors involved in the ability of Borrelia burgdorferi to retain a persistent infection within a mammalian host. These factors of immune evasion include regulation of membrane proteins, variable epitopes of surface proteins, protection against the immune system through tick saliva, the ability to migrate to regions where it is not exposed to the immune system or antibiotics, invagination or invasion within various cells, pleomorphic forms, and the potential to produce biofi...