infections
Relapsing Fever
Prognosis for Relapsing Fever
Most people recover, but some die. Death is more likely in the very young, pregnant women, older people, people who are undernourished or debilitated, and those who are infected during an epidemic of louse-borne relapsing fever. For louse-borne relapsing fever, death occurs in 10 to 40% of untreated people and in 2 to 5% of treated people. For tick-borne relapsing fever, the prognosis is better. Death occurs in less than 10% of untreated people and in less than 2% of treated people. 