Borrelia recurrentis

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]

Borrelia recurrentis
Photomicrographic view of a culture specimen showing Borrelia recurrentis bacteria
Scientific classification
Domain:	Bacteria
Kingdom:	Pseudomonadati
Phylum:	Spirochaetota
Class:	Spirochaetia
Order:	Spirochaetales
Family:	Borreliaceae
Genus:	Borrelia
Species:	B. recurrentis
Binomial name
Borrelia recurrentis (Lebert, 1874) Bergey et al., 1925

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]