Unveiling the Role of Host Genetic Variation in Lyme Disease
A new study has uncovered a fascinating new way to understand the prevalence of Lyme disease: the host genetic variation of the hosts that are susceptible to the disease. Researchers from the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine found that the host’s genetic makeup can influence the ability of the bacterium that causes Lyme disease to survive and cause disease. By studying the genomes of mice infected with Borrelia burgdorferi, the bacterium that causes Lyme disease, the team was able to identify several genetic regions that were associated with increased resistance or susceptibility to the disease. The findings provide important insight into the disease, and could help inform strategies for preventing, diagnosing, and treating Lyme disease.
source: Phys.org