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Relapsing fever

• Overview
• Symptoms
• Treatment
• Prevention

Alternative Names:

Tick-borne relapsing fever, Louse-borne relapsing fever

Treatment:

Treatment involves antibiotics, most often tetracycline, doxycycline, or penicillin.

Expectations (prognosis):

The death rate for untreated LBRF ranges from 10-70%. In TBRF, it is 4-10%. With early treatment, the death rate is reduced. Those who have developed coma, myocarditis, liver problems, and pneumonia have at higher risk of death.

Complications:

• Seizures
• Weakness
• Facial droop
• Meningitis
• Coma
• Myocarditis -- may lead to arrhythmias
• Pneumonia
• Liver dysfunction
• Widespread bleeding
• Deadly reaction to antibiotics (Jarisch - Herxheimer's reaction)

Calling your health care provider:

Notify your medical provider if you are a returning traveler and you develop fever -- there are many different possible infections that will need to be investigated in a timely manner.

• Review Date: 11/27/2006
• Reviewed By: D. Scott Smith, M.D., MSc, DTM&H, Chief of Infectious Disease & Geographic Medicine, Kaiser Redwood City, CA & Adjunct Assistant Professor, Stanford University. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

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