Developer site: The content shown here is test data.

MyEClinic
MyEClinic
Health Dictionary AI Health Chat Find an Online Doctor
A serene Zen garden with raked sand and smooth stones, symbolising clarity and calm

Health Dictionary

Reliable, easy-to-read patient information on common medical conditions — written in plain language, free of jargon, and grounded in current evidence. Browse the most frequent diagnoses, understand what they mean for everyday life, and learn which steps and questions help you have a focused conversation with your doctor.

Back to skin conditions

Borrelia recurrentis

Introduction

This page is about microbiologic aspects of the organism(s).  For clinical aspects of the disease, see Relapsing fever.
Overview

Overview

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. [5]

It is notable for its ability to alter the proteins expressed on its surface. This is what causes the “relapsing” characteristic of relapsing fever.[6]

References

References

  1. ↑ Cutler SJ, Moss J, Fukunaga M, Wright DJ, Fekade D, Warrell D (October 1997). “Borrelia recurrentis characterization and comparison with relapsing-fever, Lyme-associated, and other Borrelia spp”. International journal of systematic bacteriology. 47 (4): 958–68. doi:10.1099/00207713-47-4-958. PMID 9336893.
  2. ↑ Meri T, Cutler SJ, Blom AM, Meri S, Jokiranta TS (July 2006). “Relapsing fever spirochetes Borrelia recurrentis and B. duttonii acquire complement regulators C4b-binding protein and factor H”. Infection and immunity. 74 (7): 4157–63. doi:10.1128/IAI.00007-06. PMC 1489703. PMID 16790790.
  3. ↑ Madigan, Michael T.; Martinko, John M. (2006). Brock biology of microorganisms. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall. p. 410. ISBN 0-13-144329-1.
  4. ↑ Boutellis, A; Mediannikov, O; Bilcha, KD; Ali, J; Campelo, D; Barker, SC; et al. “Borrelia recurrentis in head lice, Ethiopia”. Emerg Infect Dis. 19 (5). doi:10.3201/eid1905.121480.
  5. ↑ Boutellis, A; Mediannikov, O; Bilcha, KD; Ali, J; Campelo, D; Barker, SC; et al. “Borrelia recurrentis in head lice, Ethiopia”. Emerg Infect Dis. 19 (5). doi:10.3201/eid1905.121480.
  6. ↑ Fisher, Bruce; Harvey, Richard P.; Strohl, William A.; Champe, Pamela C. (2007). Lippincott’s Illustrated reviews, microbiology. Hagerstwon, MD: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. p. 166. ISBN 0-7817-8215-5.

Template:Gram-negative non-proteobacterial bacterial diseases


Template:Spirochaetes-stub

Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]