1) spirochete reproductive form and susceptible to a number of antibiotics (vitro/vivo) 2) round body "starvation forms" which are resistant to most antibiotics (vitro/vivo) 3) biofilm colonies which harbor many pathogens, metals and mycotoxins are resistant to antibiotics (think immunosuppression here)
I've gone through a shit ton of tests in the last few years going over much of this. I have relatives that experienced it as well. There is growing scientific evidence a ton of clinical improvement, yet "anecdotal" patient evidence that many of these pathogens can persist beyond initial treatment. Buhner does an excellent job of explaining some of this in "Healing Lyme" and backs it up with studies from around the world. His protocols certainly help people (myself included).
Immune expression and context is a tough nut to crack and we need billions of more data points capturing cytokine signaling in conjunction with T-cell, Nk cells, mast cells, antibodies, etc to get a better understanding of HOW UNIQUE EACH IMMUNE RESPONSE IS TO A PATHOGEN. Life on our planet is biological and tightly coupled with bacterial/parasitic/viral pathogens and would not exist without them. Things quickly change through reproduction or in the case of Borellia by shifting its outer protein to better evade compromised immune systems. Or has there just been one flu/corona/etc viral strain in the last hundred years? (<- No). These things have remained in existence for a long time, it is foolish to think they cannot adapt.
Mind the 'gap' with disulfiram. It seems side effects vary, but also the quick elimination of Lyme, Babesia (not sure about Bartonella, which is mainly endothelial), and the cytokines cascades they trigger, but removing them all it once vs reducing them from severe to immune manageable levels might cause its own set of issues.
I won't bring up the CDC as they've failed millions of Lymies at this point with poor test protocols and failure to push for more research data. Test skipping 31, 34 antibody proteins when they are primary Borellia proteins (if the body is able to produce them, immunocomprimised or the load from multiple infections). The single dose doxy is absolute bullshit (1 data point from me). The denial that ticks can transmit Borellia (Lyme) and Bartonella in the same bite (bullshit, many tick samples on both costs show something like 2.6 pathogen average). In my personal experience, Bartonella is an absolute bitch to get rid of.
We need to better educate ourselves by owning all of our data in a way that enables us to submit it to research projects that are publically funded and not driven by patent revenue which pushes economies of scale. (off soapbox now :-)