In this paper we describe a clinical scenario of high grade fever, jaundice, hypotension and multi-organ dysfunction syndrome in a 30-year-old homeless male without radiological biliary obstruction. He was brought to our hospital by the emergency medical service of Saudi Arabia (Red Crescent) from the street. After an initial resuscitation he proved to have Borrelia recurrentis. The clinical course during his hospital stay was not a smooth one, but the patient finally improved. After 20 days of hospitalisation, he was discharged in a stable condition. The present case underlines the need for high clinical vigilance, even in a non-endemic area.