Infection in rabbits with the Lyme disease spirochete.

Of 33 rabbits inoculated with Lyme disease spirochetes, two developed erythema chronicum migrans at the site of inoculation. Spirochetes were seen in skin biopsies of one of the lesions with immunoperoxidase and Warthin-Starry stains. Spirochetes were also recovered from the blood of two additional rabbits two weeks post-inoculation. These findings are characteristic of early Lyme disease in humans.