Lyme disease, science, and society: Camp Other

Friday, June 22, 2012

0 Abstract: Dynamic Longitudinal Antibody Responses during Borrelia burgdorferi Infection and Antibiotic Treatment of Rhesus Macaques

Dynamic Longitudinal Antibody Responses during Borrelia burgdorferi Infection and Antibiotic Treatment of Rhesus Macaques

Source: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22718128

Embers ME, Hasenkampf NR, Jacobs MB, Philipp MT.

Abstract

Infection with B. burgdorferi elicits robust, yet disparate antibody responses in infected individuals. A longitudinal assessment of antibody responses to multiple diagnostic antigens following experimental infection and treatment has not previously been reported.

Our goal was to identify a combination of antigens that could indicate infection at all phases of disease and response to antibiotic treatment. Because the rhesus macaque recapitulates the hallmark signs and disease course of human Lyme disease, we examined the specific antibody responses to multiple antigens of B. burgdorferi following infection of macaques.

Five macaques infected with strain B31 and 12 macaques infected with strain JD1 were included in the analysis. Approximately half of these animals were treated with antibiotics at 4-6 months post-inoculation.

Antibody responses to several B. burgdorferi recombinant antigens, including OspC, DbpA, BBK32, OspA and OppA-2 were measured at multiple points throughout infection. We have previously shown a decline in the response to the C6 peptide following antibiotic treatment.

Responses to OspA and OspC, however, were variable over time among individuals, irrespective of antibiotic treatment. Not every individual responded to BBK32, but anti-DbpA IgG levels were uniformly high and remained elevated for all animals. All responded to OppA-2, with a decline post-treatment that was slow and incomplete. This is the first demonstration of B. burgdorferi OppA-2 antigenicity in nonhuman primates. The combination of DbpA, OspC, OspA, and OppA-2 with the C6 diagnostic peptide has potential to detect infection throughout all disease phases.

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Tuesday, June 12, 2012

2 Viral Genetics Update On Chronic Lyme Drug, VGV-L

Today Viral Genetics posted a letter to shareholders with the following information which relates to their experimental chronic Lyme disease candidate, VGV-L.

The letter stated:
"We are still finalizing scheduling a meeting with the FDA and our team to discuss our Lyme disease pre-IND submission from earlier this spring. Scheduling has been difficult with the number of people involved and the looming summer season. Following this meeting we expect to have a clear road map to follow towards clinical trials"

I am looking forward to hearing more about this meeting. It seems there have been a number of delays on the pre-IND road for VGV-L so far, though, and I can't predict when one is going to see progress on getting this treatment to trial stage.

Now might be the time to contact Viral Genetics and begin asking them questions about what sort of ideas they are coming up with in terms of clinical trial design. As a chronic Lyme disease patient reading along, your input may be informative and useful for researchers.

Stay tuned for more updates on VGV-L as I get them.



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