title: Imported relapsing fever in European tourists.
abstract: Two 'imported' cases of relapsing fever after a trip through Senegal are described. Two women developed a tick-borne relapsing fever after having slept outdoors on a terrace in Zinguichor, Senegal. The first patient was rapidly cured after a course of doxycycline. The second patient initially received erythromycin, but despite this treatment she developed neurological symptoms and Borrelia persisted in the thick-smear examination. After treatment with doxycycline she developed a Jarish-Herxheimer reaction. Treatment with doxycycline was continued and finally all symptoms disappeared within 36 hours after starting this treatment. A diagnosis of relapsing fever should be considered in all patients returning from the tropics with recurrent fever, especially if no malaria parasites are found.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Colebunders
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: De Serrano
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Van Gompel
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wynants
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Blot
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Van den Enden
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Van den Ende
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001530:Belgium; D001898:Borrelia / Q000302:isolation & purification; D004318:Doxycycline / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D012061:Relapsing Fever / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology*; D012675:Senegal; D014195:Travel
chemical_list: D004318:Doxycycline