Lyme disease increases risk for uterine conditions and gynepathologies 2029

Abstract Description Lyme disease (LD) is an illness caused by the spirochete Borrelia burgdorferi (Bb). Bb is known to disseminate through organs, including the skin, joints, spinal cord, bladder, heart, leading to Lyme arthritis, neuroborreliosis, and Lyme carditis. While previous studies have investigated the impact of LD on pregnancy and found the presence of Bb in the uterus of mice, we studied the impact of LD on the female reproductive tract. Using large-scale electronic healthcare record data, we report that LD additionally results in increased risk of several gynecological diseases. We use a LD mouse model and find a severe ongoing infection of the reproductive tract, in which bacteria persist in the tissue up to 15-months post-infection, resulting in glandular cysts, endometrial hyperplasia, and interspersed endometrial stromal cells. Even in C57BL/6 mice, long thought to be asymptomatic for LD, we observe uteruses infected with Bb after 8 weeks of infection, and ongoing infection throughout the next 12 months. Additionally, we find that age has an impact on the extent of gynepathology such that reproductively senescent aged mice (1-year old) have more gynepathology with infection when infected for the same length of time as young mice (15-weeks old). This work suggests that Lyme disease associated gynecological pathologies may be underappreciated and suggests further study of sex differences in the context of Bb infection. Topic Categories Microbial, Parasitic, and Fungal Immunology (MPF)