An illness caused by infection with spirochaetes. Relapsing fever is transmitted to humans by ticks or lice and is characterized by high fever. It does not occur in the UK. A high fever of up to 40°C suddenly develops, with shivering, headache, muscle pains, nausea, and vomiting. The symptoms persist for 3–6 days, culminating in a crisis with a risk of collapse and death. The person then apparently recovers but suffers another attack 7–10 days later. If tick-borne, there may be several such relapses, each progressively milder. The spirochaetes can be seen in a blood smear, and they can be eliminated with antibiotic drugs.
Relapsing fever |
|
|