Blood transfusion transmission of the tick‐borne relapsing fever spirochete Borrelia miyamotoi in mice. Issue 3 (23rd September 2014)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Krause, Peter J.; Hendrickson, Jeanne E.; Steeves, Tanner K.; Fish, Durland
• Is Part Of: Transfusion. Volume 55:Issue 3(2015)
• Page Start: 593
• Page End: 597
• Publication Date: 2014-09-23
• Subjects: Hematology -- Periodicals; Blood -- Transfusion -- Periodicals; Blood Group Antigens -- Periodicals; Blood Preservation -- Periodicals; Blood Transfusion -- Periodicals; 615
• DOI: 10.1111/trf.12879
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0041-1132

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main"> <title> <x xml:space="preserve">Abstract</x> </title> <sec id="trf12879-sec-0001" sec-type="section"> <title>Background</title> <p> <italic>Borrelia miyamotoi</italic>, a recently discovered relapsing fever spirochete, occurs in hard‐bodied ticks wherever Lyme disease is endemic. Human infection is associated with relapsing fever and can cause meningoencephalitis in immunocompromised patients. A few cases of transfusion transmission of other relapsing fever spirochete species have been reported but none for <italic>B. miyamotoi</italic>. Our objective was to determine whether <italic>B. miyamotoi</italic> transfusion transmission could occur in a murine transfusion model. Herein, we report transfusion transmission of <italic>B. miyamotoi</italic> through fresh or stored red blood cells (RBCs) in a mouse model.</p> </sec> <sec id="trf12879-sec-0002" sec-type="section"> <title>Study Design and Methods</title> <p>Inbred mice were transfused with <italic>B. miyamotoi</italic>–infected murine blood that was either freshly collected or stored for 7 days before transfusion. Recipient blood was then longitudinally examined after transfusion by smear and wet mount for evidence of spirochetemia.</p> </sec> <sec id="trf12879-sec-0003" sec-type="section"> <title>Results</title> <p>Motile spirochetes were observed in immunocompromised (SCID) mouse recipients for 28 days after transfusion of both fresh and stored murine <italic>B. miyamotoi</italic>–infected RBCs. Transient spirochetemia was observed in immunocompetent DBA/2 and C57BL/6 mice, with spirochete clearance occurring within 5 days after transfusion.</p> </sec> <sec id="trf12879-sec-0004" sec-type="section"> <title>Conclusion</title> <p>These data demonstrate that transfusion transmission of <italic>B. miyamotoi</italic> can occur in mice and suggest that it also may occur in humans.</p> </sec> </abstract>