Experimental Borrelia garinii infection of Japanese quail.

Abstract Japanese quail inoculated subcutaneously with Borrelia garinii responded to infection. B. garinii was reisolated mainly from skin and randomly from several organs between 7 and 56 days postinoculation. Skin lesions were occasionally observed in association with spirochete recovery. All birds were positive for antibody at 53 to 56 days postinoculation. These results suggest that the Japanese quail is a model for experimental infection with B. garinii and that birds are reservoirs for Lyme disease spirochetes.