Comparative molecular analyses of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto strains B31 and N40D10/E9 and determination of their pathogenicity

Table 3 Tibiotarsal joint swelling and histological examination of joint tissues

Strain	Inoculum	Right joint diameter (mm) (Avg±SD)	Right Tibiotarsus inflammation	Right knee/Tibial crest (Tc) inflammation
B31	10	4.07±0.06	-, ±, +	-, -, -
	10²	3.90±0.20	-, ±, +	-, -, + (Tc)
	10³	5.10±0.00	3+, 3+	+, +,
	10⁴	4.90±0.00	3+, 3+	+, +
N40	10	4.03±0.15	-, 2+, 3+	-, +, +
	10²	4.60±0.17	+, 2 to 3+, 3+	+(Tc), +, +
	10³	4.75±0.07	3+, 3+	+, +,
	10⁴	5.00±0.00	3+, 3+	+, +

Joint swelling of each dose was quantitated by average diameter of the right tibiotarsal joint of multiple mice with each dose group. Joint inflammation was scored from “-” (no arthritis) to “+++ (3+)” (severe arthritis) in the tibiotarsus for infected mice at each inoculation dose. Knee or Tibial crest (Tc) inflammation was recorded as “-” (no arthritis) to “+” (arthritis) of each infected mouse.

ISSN: 1471-2180