The present invention relates to an immunoassay for the detection of Borrelia specific IgG, IgM and IgG/IgM antibodies in biological samples suspected of Lyme infection. The immunoassay can be performed via a standard immunoassay format or on an automated platform. In various embodiments, the immunoassay uses one or more Borrelia specific chimeric peptides VlsE-FlaB (designated pFlaB-mV), VlsE-ErpP (designated pErp59-mV), VlsE-P35 (designated pP35-mV) alone or in combination with one or more outer surface protein C (Osp C) types B or I, p58 and DbpA. Other aspects of the invention provide antigen/substrate combinations and compositions comprising combinations of the disclosed peptides and/or proteins for use in the immunoassays described herein.

The present disclosure provides nanostructures (e.g., monolayer or bilayer nanostructures) comprising porphyrins with cobalt chelated thereto such that the cobalt metal resides within monolayer or bilayer in the porphyrin macrocycle. The nanostructures can have presentation molecules comprising epitopes from microorganisms with a histidine tag attached thereto, such that at least a part of the his-tag is within the monolayer or bilayer and coordinated to the cobalt metal core and the presentation molecules are exposed to the outside of the nanostructures. The nanostructures can further comprise a cargo. The nanostructures can be used to deliver the cargo to an individual.

A composition comprising particles formed of poly(diamidosulfide) and one or more leptospiral antigens, and methods of making and using the composition, are provided.

The present invention relates to a polypeptide comprising a mutant fragment of an outer surface protein A (OspA), a nucleic acid coding the same, a pharmaceutical composition (particularly for use as a medicament of in a method of treating or preventing a Borrelia infection) comprising the polypeptide and/or the nucleic acid, a method of treating or preventing a Borrelia infection and a method of immunizing a subject.

Reagents that include certain identified peptides derived from B. burgdorferi proteins, or nucleic acid sequences encoding same are useful in the diagnosis of Lyme borreliosis (Lyme Disease) in infected subject are disclosed herein. Such reagents can also include nucleic acid sequences encoding the peptides. Pharmaceutical compositions useful for the treatment or prophylaxis of B. burgdorferi infection include certain peptides derived from B. burgdorferi proteins, or nucleic acid sequences encoding same. Methods of treating or preventing Lyme borreliosis (Lyme Disease) include administering effective amount of such pharmaceutical compositions. An antibody independent prophylactic pharmaceutical composition comprises a sonicate of B. burgdorferi bacterium; and methods of treating or preventing Lyme borreliosis include administering effective amounts of that sonicate composition are also disclosed herein.

The present invention provides new pharmaceutical and vaccine compositions comprising Treponema spp. bacterins, supplemented with antigens from Treponema spp. or other digital dermatitis causative pathological agents such as but not limited to D. nodosus or F. necrophorum, for effectively immunizing susceptible mammals, preferably ungulates, against DD, in particular against bovine digital dermatitis. The present invention also identifies Treponema pedis and Treponema phagedenis as two of the etiologic agents of digital dermatitis (DD) in mammals, in particular ungulate digital dermatitis. The invention therefore also provides isolated cultures of Treponema pedis and Treponema phagedenis for effectively immunizing susceptible mammals, preferably ungulates, against DD, in particular against bovine digital dermatitis. In addition, the present invention provides methods of diagnosing DD by detecting infection with a series of specific Treponema antigens.

The present invention relates to an immunoassay for the detection of Borrelia specific IgG, IgM and IgG/IgM antibodies in biological samples suspected of Lyme infection. The immunoassay can be performed via a standard immunoassay format or on an automated platform. In various embodiments, the immunoassay uses one or more Borrelia specific chimeric peptides VlsE-FlaB (designated pFlaB-mV), VlsE-ErpP (designated pErp59-mV), VlsE-P35 (designated pP35-mV) alone or in combination with one or more outer surface protein C (Osp C) types B or I, p58 and DbpA. Other aspects of the invention provide antigen/substrate combinations and compositions comprising combinations of the disclosed peptides and/or proteins for use in the immunoassays described herein.

The invention relates to the development of chimeric OspA molecules for use in a new Lyme vaccine. More specifically, the chimeric OspA molecules comprise the proximal portion from one OspA serotype, together with the distal portion from another OspA serotype, while retaining antigenic properties of both of the parent polypeptides. The chimeric OspA molecules are delivered alone or in combination to provide protection against a variety of Borrelia genospecies. The invention also provides methods for administering the chimeric OspA molecules to a subject in the prevention and treatment of Lyme disease or borreliosis.

The present invention relates to compositions and methods for the prevention and treatment of Borrelia infection. Particularly, the present invention relates to a polypeptide comprising a hybrid C-terminal fragment of an outer surface protein A (OspA), a nucleic acid coding the same, an antibody specifically binding the same, a pharmaceutical composition (particularly for use as a medicament or in a method of treating or preventing a Borrelia infection) comprising the polypeptide and/or the nucleic acid and/or the antibody, a method of treating or preventing a Borrelia infection and a method of immunizing a subject.

The proposed preparation and methods relate to medicinal microbiology and pharmacology, and relate to preparations exhibiting an immunostimulatory effect, which may be used for the prevention and treatment of oncological diseases. The essence of the preparation and methods consists in a primary component of the preparation including a polyvalent corpuscular antigen, prepared on the basis of Treponema pallidum culture strains. The proposed preparation exhibits an immunostimulatory effect, with a primary influence on components of T-cell immunity. The proposed preparation, in a preventative therapeutic application, is effective with regard to tumors of various histogenesis.