Borrelia Genotyping in Lyme Disease

Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato is the causative agent of Lyme borreliosis, multisystem disorder characterized by a wide spectrum of clinical manifestations. Different borrelia species can lead to distinct clinical presentations, but some species were associated with defined clinical manifestation like Borrelia afzelii with skin manifestations, Borrelia garinii with central nervous system disorders and Borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto with Lyme arthritis. Ixodes ticks represent the main vectors of B. burgdorferi sensu lato; wild animals, lizards and birds are the natural reservoir of borrelia. Genotyping of borrelia strains is of great importance for epidemiological, clinical, and evolutionary studies. Numerous methods are available for the genotyping of B. burgdorferi sensu lato based either on whole genome or PCR based typing. Typing methods differ in their approach and target, many of them were implemented more or less successfully for diagnostic purposes.