People re-infected with Lyme disease may develop strain-specific immunity

Have you ever wondered whether an infection with the Lyme disease (LD) spirochete elicits protective immunity? Izac and Marconi addressed that question in a recent study. The authors examined mice infected with clonal populations of spirochetes to determine if broad or strain-specific, bactericidal antibody responses occurred. [1]

“It is common knowledge among veterinarians who practice in LD endemic areas that a significant percentage of dogs will develop repeated LD infections,” writes Khatchikian in the journal Infection and Immunity. [2]

“This phenomenon is well-documented in humans,” as well, explains Khatchikian. “In one study, 15% of patients with LD living in a Lyme endemic area developed 1 or more follow-up infections within five years.”

“Many patients treated for early Lyme disease incur another infection in subsequent years, suggesting that previous exposure to Borrelia burgdorferi may not elicit a protective immune response,” Khatchikian writes.

“However, identical strains are almost never detected from patients who have been infected multiple times, suggesting that B. burgdorferi exposure may elicit strain-specific immunity.” [3]