Search for a rare disease
Other search option(s)
Relapsing fever
Disease definition
Relapsing fever is an infection caused by bacteria of the genus Borrelia, excluding those responsible for Lyme disease (see this term) belonging to the Borrelia burgdorferi complex.
ORPHA:91547
Classification level: Disorder- Synonym(s): -
- Prevalence: Unknown
- Inheritance: Not applicable
- Age of onset: All ages
- ICD-10: A68.0 A68.1 A68.9
- ICD-11: 1C1J
- OMIM: -
- UMLS: C0035021
- MeSH: D012061
- GARD: -
- MedDRA: 10038300
Summary
Epidemiology
Louse-borne relapsing fever is a world-wide disease but occurs mainly in localized regions of developing countries. Tick-borne relapsing fever occurs in Africa, the Mediterranean region, Asia and America. Only a few imported cases are seen in Northern European countries.
Clinical description
The disease is characterized by cyclic fever (alternating periods of sudden fever followed by remission) associated with a general state of ill health with other rare complications (cardiac, neurologic or ocular manifestations and hemorrhage).
Etiology
The disease may be epidemic and transmitted by lice or endemic and transmitted by soft-bodied ticks (Ornithodoros and Argas).
Diagnostic methods
Diagnosis revolves around direct examination of stained blood smears and on PCR analysis of blood samples.
Differential diagnosis
The principle differential diagnosis is malaria.
Management and treatment
Antibiotic treatment (cycline) is effective. Prevention revolves around eradication of the host vector.
A summary on this disease is available in Español (2008) Français (2008) Italiano (2008) Nederlands (2008) Português (2008)
Detailed information
Guidelines
- Clinical practice guidelines
- Español (2020, pdf) - Asoc Española de Pediatría
produced/endorsed by ERN(s) 
produced/endorsed by FSMR(s)Additional information