Which term is used for fever patterns with alternating fever and normal temperatures?

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

Answer: (B)

Fever patterns are described by how temperature changes over time, focusing on whether there are distinct febrile episodes separated by normal temperatures. In relapsing fever, you see discrete febrile episodes that come on, then periods of normal temperature, and later another fever spike. The hallmark is these clear afebrile intervals between bouts of fever, which fits the idea of alternating fever and normal temperatures across the course of illness. This distinguishes it from patterns where fever stays continuously elevated (sustained), fluctuates but never returns to normal (remittent), or rises and falls within a shorter, ongoing cycle without long clear afebrile breaks (intermittent).