Tick-borne relapsing fever (TBRF) is an infection spread by a certain kind of tick. The telltale symptom is a high fever that lasts for a few days, ...MenuMedicalReferenceFeaturesVideoSlideshows&ImagesNewsArchiveNewsReferenceSlideshowsQuizzesVideosQuestions&AnswersWebMDRxSavingsCardCoronavirus(COVID-19)CBDOilKetoDietHepatitisCDiabetesWarningSignsRheumatoidArthritisMorning-AfterPillBreastCancerScreeningPsoriaticArthritisSymptomsHeartFailureMultipleMyelomaTypesofCrohn'sDiseaseAtoZGuidesReferenceMenuReviewedbySabrinaFelson, MDonJune12,2020InthisArticleWhatCausesIt?WhereDoYouGetIt?WhatAretheSymptoms?HowIsItDiagnosed?HowIsTBRFTreated?WhatAretheComplications?CanYouPreventIt?Tick-bornerelapsingfever(TBRF)isaninfectionspreadbyacertainkindoftick.Thetelltalesymptomisahighfeverthatlastsforafewdays,goesawayforaweek,andthencomesback.TBRFisnotverycommon.MostcaseshappeninWesternstates,likeCalifornia,Washington,andColorado.WhatCausesIt?IntheUnitedStates,TBRFiscausedbythreestrainsofabacteriacalledborrelia:B.hermsii,B.parkeri,andB.turicatae.They’respreadthroughthebitesofinfectedsoftticks,whichliveinthenestsofsmallanimalslikemice,chipmunks,andsquirrels.Unlikehardticks,whichstayattachedfordays,softticksonlyfeedfor15to30minutesbeforetheydropoff.Theirbitesareoftenpainless,soyoumaygetbittenandnotrealizeit.WhereDoYouGetIt?IntheUnitedStates,mostcaseshappenintheWesternpartofthecountry.It’smostcommoninmountainforests.YoucanalsogetTBRFinotherpartsoftheworld,likeCanadaandMexico.TBRFislinkedtosleepinginrusticcabinsintheseareas.That’sbecausemiceandothersmallanimalstendtobuildnestsinthewallsandatticsofthesebuildings.Softticksliveinthesenests.Theyusuallycomeoutduringthenighttofeed.WhatAretheSymptoms?It’lltakeaboutaweekforsymptomstoappearafteryou’rebitten.Themainoneisahighfeverthatcomesandgoes.Thefeverusuallylastsfor3to5days,goesawayfor5to7days,andthencomesback.Iftheinfectionisn’ttreated,thiscyclerepeatsitself.Attheendofeachfeverishperiod,yourtemperaturemayjump.Itcanreach106.7F.Thislastsfor10to30min