Ultrastructure of Borrelia burgdorferi after exposure to benzylpenicillin.

The aim of this study was to investigate the morphological changes of Borrelia burgdorferi associated with penicillin treatment. An isolate of B. burgdorferi from an erythema migrans lesion was cultivated in BSK II medium and exposed to increasing concentrations (0.0625 mg/l-2 mg/l) of penicillin G for 5 days. The in vitro minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) was determined to be 0.5 mg/l by broth dilution method. The morphological structures of untreated spirochetes, as well as their characteristic ultrastructural changes when exposed to penicillin, were observed by electron microscopy. The following alterations were discovered: (i) Numerous outer sheath blebs at a penicillin concentration of 0.0625 mg/l. (ii) A characteristic irregular waveform of the borrelial cells and complete loss of the outer sheath at a penicillin concentration of 0.125 mg/l. (iii) The presence of "spheroplasts" at the same concentration. (iv) Structural changes of the protoplasmic cylinder complex which showed an irregular pattern at a penicillin concentration of 0.125 mg/l. (v) Disruption of the protoplasmic cylinder complex into several parts at penicillin concentrations of 0.25 mg/l and 0.5 mg/l. (vi) Severe cytolysis at penicillin concentrations of 1 mg/l and 2 mg/l.