Relapsing fever, as the name implies, is characterized by recurrent acute episodes of fever. These are followed by periods of defervescence of ...ForYouNews&PerspectiveDrugs&DiseasesCME&EducationAcademyVideoDecisionPointEdition:ENGLISHDEUTSCHESPAÑOLFRANÇAISPORTUGUÊSLogInSignUpIt'sFree!Edition:ENGLISHDEUTSCHESPAÑOLFRANÇAISPORTUGUÊSRegisterLogInNoResultsNoResultsForYouNews&PerspectiveDrugs&DiseasesCME&EducationAcademyVideoDecisionPointclosePleaseconfirmthatyouwouldliketologoutofMedscape.Ifyoulogout,youwillberequiredtoenteryourusernameandpasswordthenexttimeyouvisit.LogoutCancelhttps://profreg.medscape.com/px/getpracticeprofile.do?method=getProfessionalProfile&urlCache=aHR0cHM6Ly9lbWVkaWNpbmUubWVkc2NhcGUuY29tL2FydGljbGUvMjI3MjcyLW92ZXJ2aWV3processing....Drugs&Diseases>InfectiousDiseasesRelapsingFeverUpdated:Mar15,2017Author:ElinaBobkova,MD;ChiefEditor:MichaelStuartBronze,MD more...ShareEmailPrintFeedbackCloseFacebookTwitterLinkedInGoogle+SectionsRelapsingFeverSectionsRelapsingFeverOverviewBackgroundPathophysiologyEpidemiologyShowAllPresentationHistoryPhysicalCausesShowAllDDxWorkupLaboratoryStudiesImagingStudiesOtherTestsHistologicFindingsShowAllTreatmentMedicalCareConsultationsActivityShowAllMedicationMedicationSummaryAntibioticsShowAllFollow-upDeterrence/PreventionComplicationsPrognosisPatientEducationShowAllReferencesOverviewBackgroundRelapsingfever,asthenameimplies,ischaracterizedbyrecurrentacuteepisodesoffever.Thesearefollowedbyperiodsofdefervescenceofincreasingduration.TheinfectioniscausedbyvariousspirochetespeciesoftheBorreliagenus.Spirochetesareauniquespeciesofbacteriathatalsocausesyphilis,Lymedisease,andleptospirosis.[1]Thefeverrelapsesresultfromspirochetalantigenicvariation.Relapsingfever,ifuntreated,maybefatal.Relapsingfeverisanarthropod-borneinfectionspreadbylice(Pediculushumanus)andticks(Ornithodorosspecies).Twomainformsofthisinfectionexist:tickbornerelapsingfever(TBRF)andlouse-bornerelapsingfever(LBRF).TBRFiscausedby8ormoreBorreliaspecies(eg,Borreliahermsii