Diseases

Relapsing Fever

An acute infection characterized by recurrent episodes of PYREXIA alternating with asymptomatic intervals of apparent recovery. This condition is caused by SPIROCHETES of the genus BORRELIA. It is transmitted by the BITES of either the body louse (PEDICULUS humanus corporis), for which humans are the reservoir, or by soft ticks of the genus ORNITHODOROS, for which rodents and other animals are the principal reservoirs.

National Library of MedicineMedical Subject Headings2026

Structured Summary

Abstract

An acute infection characterized by recurrent episodes of PYREXIA alternating with asymptomatic intervals of apparent recovery. This condition is caused by SPIROCHETES of the genus BORRELIA. It is transmitted by the BITES of either the body louse (PEDICULUS humanus corporis), for which humans are the reservoir, or by soft ticks of the genus ORNITHODOROS, for which rodents and other animals are the principal reservoirs.

MeSH Record

Classification

Broader headings

Related Concepts

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MeSH Record

Synonyms

18 entry terms
  • Fever, Relapsing
  • Relapsing Fevers
  • Borrelia hermsii Infection
  • Borrelia recurrentis Infection
  • Louse-borne Relapsing Fever
  • Tick-borne Relapsing Fever
  • Borrelia hermsii Infections
  • Borrelia recurrentis Infections
  • Fever, Louse-borne Relapsing
  • Fever, Tick-borne Relapsing
  • Infection, Borrelia hermsii
  • Infection, Borrelia recurrentis
  • Louse borne Relapsing Fever
  • Louse-borne Relapsing Fevers
  • Relapsing Fever, Louse-borne
  • Relapsing Fever, Tick-borne
  • Tick borne Relapsing Fever
  • Tick-borne Relapsing Fevers

MeSH Record

Aspects Covered

36 allowable subheadings

Indexed with the subheadings blood, cerebrospinal fluid, chemically induced, classification, complications, congenital, diagnosis, diagnostic imaging, diet therapy, drug therapy, economics, embryology, enzymology, epidemiology, ethnology, etiology, genetics, history, immunology, metabolism, microbiology, mortality, nursing, parasitology, pathology, physiopathology, prevention & control, psychology, radiotherapy, rehabilitation, surgery, therapy, transmission, urine, veterinary, virology.

MeSH Record

Indexing Annotation

not for "recurrent fever" [= FEVER + RECURRENCE (NIM)]; infections by Borrelia species other than B. burgdorferi or B. burgdorferi group (which cause LYME DISEASE) probably go here, otherwise index under BORRELIA INFECTIONS

MeSH Hierarchy

Tree Numbers

  1. C01w.150.252w.400w.794.352.500w
  2. C01w.920.930w.775w

MeSH Record

NLM Classification

WC 410

AMA Style

References

  1. National Library of Medicine. Relapsing Fever. Medical Subject Headings (MeSH). 2026. Unique ID D012061. http://id.nlm.nih.gov/mesh/2026/D012061
  2. Relapsing Fever. In: Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Relapsing_fever
  3. Relapsing Fever. In: Wikidata. https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q690032