Fever

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Fever is defined as "an abnormal elevation of body temperature, usually as a result of a pathologic process."[1]

Etiology/cause

Acute febrile illness in a healthy adult

Assuming that local inflammatory processes such as an abscess or cellulitis are not present, several clinical findings can suggest the underlying cause of an acute fever.

  • Influenza-like illness is defined as "fever (temperature of 100°F [37.8°C] or greater) and a cough and/or a sore throat in the absence of a known cause other than influenza."[2] Possible causes include respiratory syncytial virus, rhinovirus, adenovirus, parainfluenza viruses, coronaviruses, and metapneumovirus.[3]

Acute febrile illness in an adult with neutropenia

For more information, see: neutropenia.

Clinical practice guidelines define febrile neutropenia as "a single oral temperature of >=38.3°C (101°F) or a temperature of >=38.0°C (100.4°F) for >= 1 h. Neutropenia is defined as a neutrophil count of <500 cells/mm3, or a count of <1000 cells/mm3 with a predicted decrease to <500 cells/mm3"[6]

Fever of unknown origin

Diagnosis

Mother's touch can diagnose fever among children according to a systematic review.[7] The sensitivity was 89% and specificity was 50%.

Toxin-induced hyperthermia

Malignant hyperthermia

For more information, see: Malignant hyperthermia.

Neuroleptic malignant syndrome

For more information, see: Neuroleptic malignant syndrome.

Serotonin syndrome

For more information, see: serotonin syndrome.


References

  1. National Library of Medicine. Fever. Retrieved on 2007-11-16.
  2. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2007). CDC - Influenza (Flu) - Flu Activity. Retrieved on 2007-11-19.
  3. Kelly H, Birch C (2004). "The causes and diagnosis of influenza-like illness". Australian family physician 33 (5): 305–9. PMID 15227858[e]
  4. Hurt C, Tammaro D (2007). "Diagnostic evaluation of mononucleosis-like illnesses". Am. J. Med. 120 (10): 911.e1–8. DOI:10.1016/j.amjmed.2006.12.011. PMID 17904463. Research Blogging.
  5. 5.0 5.1 Babyatsky MW, Keroack MD, Blake MA, Rosenberg ES, Mino-Kenudson M (2007). "Case 35-2007 -- A 30-Year-Old Man with Inflammatory Bowel Disease and Recent Onset of Fever and Bloody Diarrhea" 357 (20): 2068–2076. DOI:10.1056/NEJMcpc079029. PMID 18003964. Research Blogging.
  6. Hughes WT, Armstrong D, Bodey GP, et al (2002). "2002 guidelines for the use of antimicrobial agents in neutropenic patients with cancer". Clin. Infect. Dis. 34 (6): 730–51. PMID 11850858[e]
  7. Teng CL, Ng CJ, Nik-Sherina H, Zailinawati AH, Tong SF (2008). "The accuracy of mother's touch to detect fever in children: a systematic review". J. Trop. Pediatr. 54 (1): 70–3. DOI:10.1093/tropej/fmm077. PMID 18039678. Research Blogging.