SOTELO CRUZ, Norberto    VALENCIA MAYORAL, Pedro. Borreliosis: recurrent fever due to spirochetes. Case report. Bol. Med. Hosp. Infant. Mex. []. 2012, 69, 2, pp.121-125. ISSN 1665-1146.

Background. Relapsing fever is a complex group of diseases caused by spirochetes of the genus Borrelia transmitted to humans by lice or ticks. The purpose of this study is to present a case of relapsing fever. Case report. A 12-year-old girl with no relevant clinical history was admitted with fever, headache, cervical adenitis, and thoracoabdominal exanthema. She had relapsing fever for 3 to 5 days with 15- to 21-day-intervals of apyrexia during the past 3 months. Laboratory exams were normal or negative including antibodies for Borrelia burdorferi. Peripheral blood smear showed spirochetes. She was treated with various antibiotics and finally doxycycline was added with a good response. The patient is asymptomatic and without sequelae 3 months after treatment. Conclusion. In the case we reported, relapsing fever due to spirochetemia was made during the differential diagnosis. Due to the difficulty in identification, it is important to have a clinical suspicion of this type of infection.

: borreliosis; spirochetemia; relapsing fever; antibiotics; doxycycline.