Version 1
: Received: 12 June 2023 / Approved: 12 June 2023 / Online: 12 June 2023 (10:05:15 CEST)
How to cite:
Shan, J.; Jia, Y.; Mijatovic, T.; Teulières, L.; Clokie, M. Overcoming the Challenges of Lyme Disease Diagnosis: The Role of Phage-based Testing. Preprints2023, 2023060816. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202306.0816.v1
Shan, J.; Jia, Y.; Mijatovic, T.; Teulières, L.; Clokie, M. Overcoming the Challenges of Lyme Disease Diagnosis: The Role of Phage-based Testing. Preprints 2023, 2023060816. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202306.0816.v1
Shan, J.; Jia, Y.; Mijatovic, T.; Teulières, L.; Clokie, M. Overcoming the Challenges of Lyme Disease Diagnosis: The Role of Phage-based Testing. Preprints2023, 2023060816. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202306.0816.v1
APA Style
Shan, J., Jia, Y., Mijatovic, T., Teulières, L., & Clokie, M. (2023). Overcoming the Challenges of Lyme Disease Diagnosis: The Role of Phage-based Testing. Preprints. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202306.0816.v1
Chicago/Turabian Style
Shan, J., Louis Teulières and Martha Clokie. 2023 "Overcoming the Challenges of Lyme Disease Diagnosis: The Role of Phage-based Testing" Preprints. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202306.0816.v1
Abstract
Tick-borne diseases are a growing concern worldwide, affecting both human and animal populations. Ticks are known to harbor a wide range of pathogens and are considered one of the most important vectors of disease. Lyme disease, caused by Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato, is the most common tick-borne disease in the US and Europe. However, accurate diagnosis of Lyme disease can be challenging due to the complex immune evasion strategies employed by Borrelia species and the limitations of existing diagnostic tests. To address this issue, researchers are exploring novel approaches, including the use of bacteriophages as diagnostic tools. Bacteriophages are highly specific and offer advantages over traditional methods for detecting bacteria, including Borrelia. In particular, the use of multicopy bacteriophages as molecular markers for Borrelia detection is a promising approach that may provide greater sensitivity than targeting single-copy bacterial genes. Nonetheless, the task of identifying trace amounts of bacteriophages in blood samples necessitates attention, and scientists are devising innovative techniques to surmount this hurdle. In summary, employing bacteriophages as a diagnostic tool for tick-borne diseases, such as Lyme disease, by specifically targeting free circulating bacteriophages in blood samples, offers significant potential for enhancing patient outcomes and public health.
Biology and Life Sciences, Biology and Biotechnology
Copyright:
This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
