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2025 ICD-10-CM code A68.0

Louse-borne relapsing fever (LBRF).

Use additional codes to identify any complications, such as liver involvement, pneumonia, or myocarditis.Also, code for Z16.- if there is known resistance to antimicrobial drugs.

Medical necessity for treatment of LBRF is established by the diagnosis itself. The severity of the condition and potential for serious complications warrant prompt antibiotic therapy and supportive care.

Clinicians are responsible for diagnosing LBRF through patient history, physical examination, and laboratory testing (blood smear).They manage the condition with appropriate antibiotics, provide supportive care, and educate patients on preventative measures, such as using insect repellent and proper hygiene practices.

In simple words: Louse-borne relapsing fever (LBRF) is an infection that causes fevers that come and go. It's spread by lice bites. People living in places with poor sanitation, like refugee camps, are most at risk. Symptoms include fever, weakness, vomiting, eye pain, sensitivity to light, headaches, muscle and joint aches, and facial drooping. The fever often ends suddenly with chills, sweats, and a drop in blood pressure.Severe cases can cause liver problems, lung infections, seizures, heart inflammation, and bleeding. Doctors diagnose it by looking at your symptoms and testing your blood. Antibiotics, like tetracycline and penicillin, are used to treat it. You can prevent it by covering your skin and using bug spray.

Louse-borne relapsing fever (LBRF) is caused by the bacterium *Borrelia recurrentis*, and is transmitted to humans through the bite of infected lice.Characterized by recurring episodes of fever, it primarily affects individuals living in impoverished and unhygienic conditions.Symptoms include high fever, general weakness, vomiting, eye pain, photophobia, headache, muscle and joint pain, and facial droop.Fever episodes often culminate in a "crisis" marked by chills, shivering, profuse sweating, and a drop in body temperature and blood pressure.Severe cases can lead to liver complications, pneumonia, seizures, myocarditis, hemorrhaging, and even death. Diagnosis involves assessing exposure history and microscopic examination of a blood smear for the presence of the *Borrelia recurrentis* bacterium.Treatment typically consists of antibiotics like tetracycline and penicillin. Preventative measures include covering exposed skin and using insect repellents.

Example 1: A patient presents with recurring high fevers, chills, headache, and muscle pain. They recently returned from a refugee camp. A blood smear reveals *Borrelia recurrentis*, confirming LBRF., A homeless individual experiences several episodes of fever, jaundice, and abdominal pain.They have a known history of lice infestation.LBRF is suspected, and further testing is conducted., A person living in an area with a known lice outbreak presents with fever, myalgia, and vomiting.The physician suspects LBRF and initiates antibiotic treatment while awaiting blood test results.

Documentation should include signs and symptoms, travel history, living conditions, evidence of lice infestation, laboratory results confirming *Borrelia recurrentis* infection, and treatment administered.

** Relapsing fever is a serious condition that can be fatal if left untreated. Early diagnosis and prompt treatment are crucial for a favorable outcome.

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