relapsing fever

noun

, Pathology.

1. one of a group of fevers characterized by relapses, occurring in many tropical countries, and caused by several species of spirochetes transmitted by several species of lice and ticks.

relapsing fever

noun

1. any of various infectious diseases characterized by recurring fever, caused by the bite of body lice or ticks infected with spirochaetes of the genus Borrelia Also calledrecurrent fever

Word History and Origins

Origin of relapsing fever¹

First recorded in 1840–50

Example Sentences

They don’t just have persistent coughs: Instead their disease is a systemic experience, with brain fog, internal organ pain, bowel problems, tremors, relapsing fevers, more.

From New York Times

The spirochetes were similar to what he had studied as a graduate student: the cause of relapsing fever.

From Washington Post

If spirochetes caused relapsing fever, perhaps other spirochetes were responsible for the mysterious new Lyme arthritis for which a cause was not known.

From Salon

The situation is further complicated because Ixodes ticks transmit a host of other pathogens, such as Rickettsia, other bacteria, viruses and protozoa, leading to diseases including typhus, relapsing fever, babesiosis and meningoencephalitis.

From Nature

Writing to a friend, he described the process whereby the thoughts sponsored by his “relapsing fever” brought this book into the world:

From The Guardian