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Relapsing fever - Symptom

Alternative Names

Tick-borne relapsing fever, Louse-borne relapsing fever

Symptoms:

Bleeding
Coma
Facial droop
Headache
Joint aches (arthralgia)
Muscle aches (myalgia)
Nausea
Neck stiffness
Rigors
Seizures
Sudden onset of high fever
Unsteady gait
Vomiting
Weakness

Signs and tests:

Relapsing fever should be suspected if someone coming from a high-risk area has repeated episodes of fever. This is particularly true if the fever is followed by a "crisis" stage, and if the person may have been exposed to lice or soft-bodied ticks.

A blood smear is frequently taken to see what is causing the infection. Certain blood antibody tests are sometimes used.

Reviewed last on: 12/3/2008
David C. Dugdale, III, MD, Professor of Medicine, Division of General Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine; Jatin M. Vyas, MD, PhD, Assistant Professor in Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Assistant in Medicine, Division of Infectious Disease, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

References

Petri WA. Relapsing fever and other Borrelia infections. In: Goldman L, Ausiello D, eds. Cecil Medicine. 23rd ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Saunders Elsevier; 2007: chap 343.

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