Development and optimization of an in vitro cultivation protocol allows for isolation of Borrelia miyamotoi from patients with hard tick-borne relapsing fever

Direct culture from K2-EDTA, trisodium citrate and lithium heparin plasma containing B. miyamotoi is hampered due to anticoagulants. Using a simple centrifugation protocol we were able to circumvent this detrimental effect, allowing for the first clinical isolation of B. miyamotoi. This will be of value for future research on the pathogenesis, genetics, diagnosis, therapy and epidemiology of HTBRF and other tick-borne relapsing fevers.