Study: Lyme Relapse Likely a New Infection

If a rash returns after you’ve been treated for Lyme disease, chances are it’s a new infection, a new study suggests. Lyme is caused by bacteria that are transmitted by tick bites. Taking antibiotics cures most people. But for some the symptoms don’t go away or return. The new study included 17 people who had been treated for Lyme disease. Then the distinctive “bull’s eye” rash came back, in some cases up to 3 times. Skin or blood samples were taken after each rash appeared. They all showed Borrelia burgdorferi bacteria, the type that causes Lyme disease. In the new study, researchers looked more closely. They did a genetic analysis of the samples. In each case, the bacteria that caused the first outbreak and later outbreaks were different strains. That means there was a new infection, not a return of the old infection. The rash also appeared at a different spot when it returned.