Which fever pattern is characterized by temperature returns to normal for one or more days with one or more episodes of fever, each as long as several days?

• A. Intermittent fever
• B. Relapsing fever
• C. Sustained fever
• D. Pyrexia

Answer: (B)

Fever patterns describe how temperature changes over time during an illness. When fever occurs in bouts with the temperature returning to normal for one or more days before another fever episode begins, this is relapsing fever. Each febrile period lasts several days, and there are clear afebrile gaps between episodes. This contrasts with sustained fever, where the temperature remains elevated without returning to normal, and with general fever (pyrexia) simply being fever without a repeating pattern. Intermittent fever also involves fever and normal temperatures, but the described pattern—recurrent fever bouts separated by days of normal temperature—fits relapsing fever.