Relapsing fever

Injury	Disease	Nutrition	Poison

Symptoms	Surgery	Test	Special Topic

Overview

Symptoms

Treatment

Prevention

Relapsing fever

Alternative Names:

Tick-borne relapsing fever, Louse-borne relapsing fever
Treatment:

The mainstay of treatment is antibiotics -- primarily tetracycline, doxycycline, or penicillin.

Expectations (prognosis):

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The mortality (death) rate for untreated louse-borne relapsing fever ranges from 10-70% and from 4-10% in tick-borne relapsing fever. With early treatment, the mortality rate is reduced to 2-5%. Individuals with coma, myocarditis, liver dysfunction, and pneumonia are at higher risk of death.

Complications:

neurologic complications: seizures, weakness, facial droop, meningitis, coma
myocarditis -- may lead to arrhythmias
pneumonia
liver dysfunction
diffuse bleeding
Jarisch - Herxheimer's reaction during antibiotic therapy may be fatal in some cases

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.