The monoclonal antibodies could be used as (1) diagnostic agents of active Lyme disease infections caused by the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato (the Lyme disease pathogen), and (2) research agents to track the location and spread of the pathogen during the course of Lyme disease infection in a live animal model (e.g., mice).
The current FDA-approved diagnostics methods (also based on the VlsE proteins) are indirect, targeting the antibodies the host generated as a result of Lyme pathogen infection. As a result, current methods cannot distinguish between past and active Borrelia infection. In addition, since antibody response takes weeks to appear, the current methods could not detect early phase Borrelia infections reliably and sensitively.
These monoclonal antibodies provide a means for direct and early detection of active Borrelia infection in humans and animal models.
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