Figure 1.

Overall setup of the study. The study consisted of three experiments. In Experiment I, the in vitro growth medium metabolomes of different Borrelia strains (Bbss N40, Bbss 313, Bg SKB40 and Ba A91) were analyzed using NMR. In Experiment II, in vitro grown Bbss N40 were used to infect eight mice, and eight mice were used as uninfected controls. After 4 weeks follow up, the mice were sacrificed and serum samples were collected for NMR analysis. Urine samples were collected on three consecutive days before killing on the week 4. Ear skin samples were collected for Borrelia culture. In Experiment III, in vitro grown Bbss N40 were used to infect 20 mice, and 20 mice were used as uninfected controls. After 4 weeks follow up, the mice were sacrificed, and serum samples and urinary bladders were collected for NMR analysis. Urine and ear skin samples were collected as in Experiment II.