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