'reinfection' was chosen in preference to 'relapse' because different genotypes were found by PCR in the later episodes. But we know that borrelia changes it surface markers over time!

 

 

Differentiation of Reinfection from Relapse in Recurrent Lyme Disease — NEJM

nejm.org

Original Article from The New England Journal of Medicine — Differentiation of Reinfection from Relapse in Recurrent 

 

And this is the response from Sam T. Donta, M.D. ...
http://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMc1215615

Reinfection versus Relapse in Lyme Disease — NEJM

www.nejm.org

Correspondence from The New England Journal of Medicine — Reinfection versus Relapse in Lyme Disease