Abstract
Tick-borne relapsing fever (TBRF) is a bacterial infection transmitted by tick bites that occurs in several different parts of the world, including the western United States. We describe 6 cases of TBRF acquired in the White Mountains of Arizona, USA, and diagnosed during 2013–2018. All but 1 case-patient had recurrent fever, and some had marked laboratory abnormalities, including leukopenia, thrombocytopenia, hyperbilirubinemia, and elevated aminotransaminases. One patient had uveitis. Diagnosis was delayed in 5 of the cases; all case-patients responded to therapy with doxycycline. Two patients had Jarisch-Herxheimer reactions. The White Mountains of Arizona have not been previously considered a region of high incidence for TBRF. These 6 cases likely represent a larger number of cases that might have been undiagnosed.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 649-653 |
Number of pages | 5 |
Journal | Emerging infectious diseases |
Volume | 25 |
Issue number | 4 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Apr 2019 |
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Epidemiology
- Microbiology (medical)
- Infectious Diseases