Endemic relapsing fever is caused by all except?
A. Borrelia duttonii
B. Borrelia hermsii
C. Borrelia parkeri
D. Borrelia recurrentis
Correct answer : D. Borrelia recurrentis
BorreliaCharacteristic corkscrew shaped appearance of Borrelia
Endemic relapsing fever is caused by Borreliae which normally live in their natural host rodents, or in other mammals which the vector takes feed.
Human infection is an accidental event.
Borrelia recurrentis causes epidemic relapsing fever.
It was first observed by Obermeyer in the blood of patients during an epidemic in Berlin.
It is transmitted by body lice from person to person.
It is also called louse borne relapsing fever.
Ref: Ananthanarayan and Paniker’s Textbook of Microbiology, 9th edition, p378.
Image credits: CDC Public Health Image Library. http://phil.cdc.gov/phil/details.asp?pid=6631