relapsing fever
- 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.
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Origin of relapsing fever
First recorded in 1840–50
Also called recurrent fever.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
Examples from the Web for relapsing fever
Historical Examples
Dysentery also followed the decline of the relapsing-fever epidemic of 1847-48.
A History of Epidemics in Britain, Volume II (of 2)Charles Creighton
relapsing fever
- any of various infectious diseases characterized by recurring fever, caused by the bite of body lice or ticks infected with spirochaetes of the genus BorreliaAlso called: recurrent fever
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Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
relapsing fever
(rĭ-lăp′sĭng)- An acute infectious disease caused by a strain of Borrelia transmitted by lice or ticks and marked by recurring febrile attacks lasting about six days and separated from one other by apyretic intervals of about the same length.recurrent fever
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The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
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