The bacteria that cause Lyme disease originate in Europe before the Ice Age

Researchers at the University of Bath have recently discovered a bacterium that causes Lyme disease originating in Europe, not North America, as previously thought.

Previous researchers have discovered Lyme disease bacteria, Borrelia burgdorferi, originating in the Americas. However, a Bath University team has now demonstrated that the bacterium is of European origin, even before the Ice Age.

By understanding its origin as well as how it evolved, researchers have been able to hope to predict the continued development of bacteria so far to find ways to prevent the spread of bacteria. . In the new study, scientists at Bath University and colleagues from the United Kingdom and the United States investigated the evolutionary history of bacteria by analyzing the order of eight things called 'butler genes'. . These 8 genes evolved very slowly. They analyzed 64 different genetic samples from patients and ticks in Europe and America.

The black legged Ixodes pacificus - the culprit infecting Borrelia burgdorferi causes Lyme disease.(Photo: CDC / James Gathany; William Nicholson)

Combined, there are 33 different combinations of the butler gene discovered. The results of the study showed that Borrelia burgdorferi bacteria came from Europe, but it has been present in North America for a long time. Researchers believe that the bacteria that reappeared in North America in the 1970s occurred after the geographic territory of the ticks carried bacteria expanded through the restoration of forests.

Lyme disease is a major problem in Europe, Asia and especially in North America where Lyme becomes the most common vector-borne disease. The disease was named after Old Lyme in Connecticut. This is a place where there are many cases of illness in the 1970s. There is currently no vaccine to prevent Lyme disease. The disease can cause arthritis as well as problems related to the nervous and cardiovascular systems if left untreated.

Reference: Margos G et al. MLST of housekeeping documents capturing geographic population structure and suggesting a European origin of Borrelia burgdorferi (roughly translated: 'The butler gene regulates concurrent geographic structure of European origin of Borrelia burgdorferi bacteria' ). Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 2008; 105 (25): 8730-8735