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Infection. 1998 May-Jun;26(3):144-50.

In vitro conversion of Borrelia burgdorferi to cystic forms in spinal fluid, and transformation to mobile spirochetes by incubation in BSK-H medium.
Brorson O, Brorson SH.

Dept. of Microbiology, Vestfold Sentralsykehus, Tønsberg.

The purpose of this study was to examine the structural alterations of Borrelia burgdorferi when exposed to spinal fluid. Normal, mobile spirochetes were inoculated into spinal fluid, and the spirochetes were converted to cysts (spheroplast L-forms) after 1-24 h. When these cystic forms were transferred to a rich BSK-H medium, the cysts were converted back to normal, mobile spirochetes after incubation for 9 to 17 days. The cultures were examined by dark field microscopy (DFM), interference contrast microscopy (ICM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). When neuroborreliosis is suspected, it is necessary to realize that B. burgdorferi can be present in a cystic form, and these cysts have to be recognized by microscopy. This study may also explain why cultivation of spinal fluid often is negative with respect to B. burgdorferi.

PMID: 9646104 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

APMIS. 2001 May;109(5):383-8.
Conversion of Borrelia garinii cystic forms to motile spirochetes in vivo.
Gruntar I, Malovrh T, Murgia R, Cinco M.

Institute of Microbiology and Parasitology, Veterinary Faculty, Ljubljana, Slovenia. gruntaig@mail.vf.uni-lj.si

Cystic forms (also called spheroplasts or starvation forms) and their ability to reconvert into normal motile spirochetes have already been demonstrated in the Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato complex. The aim of this study was to determine whether motile B. garinii could develop from cystic forms, not only in vitro but also in vivo, incyst -inoculated mice. The cysts prepared in distilled water were able to reconvert into normal motile spirochetes at any time during in vitro experiments, lasting one month, even after freeze-thawing of the cysts. Motile spirochetes were successfully isolated from 2 out of 15 mice inoculated intraperitoneally with cystic forms, showing the infectivity of the cysts. The demonstrated capacity of the cysts to reconvert into motile spirochetes in vivo and their surprising resistance to adverse environmental conditions should lead to further studies on the role and function of these forms in Lyme disease.

PMID: 11478686 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

Phillips SE, Mattman LH, Hulinska D, Moayad H.
A proposal for the reliable culture of Borrelia burgdorferi from patients with chronic Lyme disease, even from those previously aggressively treated.
Infection. 1998 Nov-Dec;26(6):364-7.
PMID: 9861561 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]


"There has been a considerable spectrum of cell wall deficiency demonstrated in our laboratory. B. burgdorferi may exist in various forms depending on its environment. In addition to the spirochetal form, we have demonstrated its growth both as amorphous L-forms and rounded giant L-bodies which have been previously described as cystic forms (11,18). As B. burgdoferi reverts from cell wall deficiency with the rebuilding of its cell wall, classic spirochetal forms can be seen. Most often, in our cultures, B. burgdorferi can be seen in varying stages of reversion, i.e. some L-dependent spirochetal forms within an L-form"

MacDonald article in Medical Hypotheses (2006):

Stereotypes of what a spirochete "should " look like, have actually produced a state of "perseveration" in spirochetal pathobiology. We have been "stuck" like a broken record, on the corkscrew form, and have failed to see the rest of the life cycle.
Cystic, granular, and cell wall deficient spirochetal profiles, which were well known in the 19th and 20th centuries by such titans as Schaudinn, Hoffman, Noguchi, Delamater, Steiner, and Mattman, have been repudiated by professional microbiologists, and by pathologists who practice and who confer the status of 21st century truths in microbiology matters.
Proper microscopic study, as is required by Dr. Robert Koch's second postulate, for establishing links between microbes and disease, presupposes that the microscopist be aware of the complete array of morphologic repertoires of the alleged pathogen. (Morphologies, which are herein introduced.).