A68.9

What This Code Means

Relapsing fever is a bacterial infection transmitted by lice or ticks that causes recurring episodes of fever, chills, and body aches. This code is used when the specific type of relapsing fever (louse-borne or tick-borne) has not been documented or determined.

Coding Tips

• •Query the provider if the type of relapsing fever can be determined, as A68.0 (louse-borne) and A68.1 (tick-borne) are more specific and preferred codes
• •Verify that the diagnosis is relapsing fever and not other febrile conditions; review clinical documentation for fever patterns, vector exposure history, and laboratory findings