Hi, So when you get these fevers you don't get any of these symptoms:
fever, headache, muscle and joint aches, and nausea?
What about fatigue or cough?
Any diarrhea?
Do you remember being bitten by a tick? Any rats living in the area you had been around? Had any mosquito bites before this?
I am trying to figure out which thing it could be.
If all else fails you could get them to have to do a smear for malaria and relapsing fever. They call them thin and thick smears. Also check for Borrelia (spirochetes). You can also get this done through a lab that checks for that bacteria. They can treat you with doxycycline for 10 days or tetracycline (500 mg orally, four times daily). They would test your blood on the day that you get the high fever for the Borrelia (spirochetes) and malaria. If it is malaria it is different treatment.
It sounds like relapsing fever. Usually, your lab work shows a high white blood cell count but the CT scan is normal and the blood work is normal except that the blood bilirubin is high, reticulocyte is high, urinalysis is positive for protein (small amount), and spirochetes are found in a blood smear but it is with a Giemsa stain). They may not see it with the Wright stain they use for a complete blood count.
Also squirrels or other rodents can transmit this via ticks.
Some labs have immunoflurescent tests or PCR to detect it. If negative and malaria is negative then you may just want to get treated and see if it clears up. It is a thought.
mkh9
Hi and sorry you have this problem. We are not doctors on these sites but I am a microbiologist and can try to help give you some advise.
So, have you traveled anywhere outside the country or even inside the country before this happened? Have you don't any hiking or swimming in fresh water such as a lake?
With the CT scan did they check your kidneys for infection or any blockage?
When you feel like you have a UTI they never cultured anything all three times? So what are your symptoms?
How high is your fever? When does it come on?
Have you seen any ticks on you or any rash at any time? What state do you live in?
Do you have any night sweats or fatigue?
Thanks
mkh9