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| Alternative Names: | Tick-borne relapsing fever, Louse-borne relapsing fever
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| Treatment: | The mainstay of treatment is antibiotics -- primarily tetracycline, doxycycline, or penicillin.
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| Expectations (prognosis): | The mortality (death) rate for untreated louse-borne relapsing fever ranges from 10-70% and from 4-10% in tick-borne relapsing fever. With early treatment, the mortality rate is reduced to 2-5%. Individuals with coma, myocarditis, liver dysfunction, and pneumonia are at higher risk of death.
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| Complications: | - neurologic complications: seizures, weakness, facial droop, meningitis, coma
- myocarditis -- may lead to arrhythmias
- pneumonia
- liver dysfunction
- diffuse bleeding
- Jarisch - Herxheimer's reaction during antibiotic therapy may be fatal in some cases
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| Calling your health care provider: | Notify your medical provider if you are a returning traveler and you develop fever -- there are many different possible infections that will need to be investigated in a timely manner.
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Review Date: 1/3/2003
Reviewed By: Camille Kotton, M.D., Infectious Diseases Division, Massachusetts General Hospital and Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.
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The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed physician should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Call 911 for all medical emergencies. Links to other sites are provided for information only -- they do not constitute endorsements of those other sites. Copyright 2003 A.D.A.M., Inc. Any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited.
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