Fever

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

Acute febrile illness

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.

Relative bradycardia is a "pulse is less than expected at a given body temperature"[2] and suggests an intracellular organism such as salmonella, legionella, and chlamydia.[2] Other causes include Sandfly fever and Dengue fever.

Arthropathy, when prominent, suggests Parvovirus B19.

Myalgias, when prominent, suggests Dengue fever.

Headache, when prominent, suggests West Nile Virus.

Fever of unknown origin

References

  1. National Library of Medicine. Fever. Retrieved on 2007-11-16.
  2. 2.0 2.1 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.