I am a masters degree student at Keele university and i am studying the Tick
Ixodes ricinus. I want to investigate whether the ticks are infected with
Borrelia burgdorferi, the causative agent of Lyme disease.
I know of two techniques that exist to do this:
An immunofluorescence assay, and a PCR technique, however i cannot find a
source of the nerssecary antibodies, or of the relevant primer ( the primer
is the B. burgdorferi flagellin gene). I would be extremely grateful if
anyone who knows of a source of these products would contact me either via
the newsgroups or by E-MAILing me on P6R38 at cc.keele.ac.uk.
Also if anyone knows of another technique that could be used to detect the
presence of the spirocheate in the tick i would be extremely grateful
(especialy as i have been bitten by one of the ticks !!!).
Thanking you in advance....
DAVE HULSE
