Borrelia recurrentis explained

Borrelia recurrentis is a species of Borrelia, a spirochaete bacterium associated with relapsing fever.^{[1] [2]} B. recurrentis is usually transmitted from person to person by the human body louse.^[3] Since the 1800s, the body louse has been known as its only known vector.^[4]

B. recurrentis DNA was found in 23% of head lice from patients with louse-borne relapsing fever in Ethiopia. Whether head lice can transmit these bacteria from one person to another remains to be determined.^[4]

It is notable for its ability to alter the proteins expressed on its surface, which causes the "relapsing" characteristic of relapsing fever.^[5]

Notes and References

1. Cutler SJ, Moss J, Fukunaga M, Wright DJ, Fekade D, Warrell D . Borrelia recurrentis characterization and comparison with relapsing-fever, Lyme-associated, and other Borrelia spp . International Journal of Systematic Bacteriology . 47 . 4 . 958–68 . October 1997 . 9336893 . 10.1099/00207713-47-4-958 . free .
2. Meri T, Cutler SJ, Blom AM, Meri S, Jokiranta TS . Relapsing fever spirochetes Borrelia recurrentis and B. duttonii acquire complement regulators C4b-binding protein and factor H . Infection and Immunity . 74 . 7 . 4157–63 . July 2006 . 16790790 . 1489703 . 10.1128/IAI.00007-06 .
3. Book: Madigan, Michael T. . Martinko, John M. . Brock biology of microorganisms . Pearson Prentice Hall . Upper Saddle River, NJ . 2006 . 410 . 0-13-144329-1 .
4. Boutellis . A . Mediannikov . O . Bilcha . KD . Ali . J . Campelo . D . Barker . SC . etal . 2013. Borrelia recurrentis in head lice, Ethiopia . Emerg Infect Dis . 19. 5. 796–798. 10.3201/eid1905.121480 . 23648147 . 3647509 .
5. Book: Fisher, Bruce . Harvey, Richard P. . Strohl, William A. . Champe, Pamela C. . Lippincott's Illustrated reviews, microbiology . limited . Lippincott Williams & Wilkins . Hagerstwon, MD . 2007 . 166 . 978-0-7817-8215-9 .