Fever
Raised body temperature due to disease / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Fever or pyrexia in humans is a body temperature above the normal range due to an increase in the body's temperature set point in the hypothalamus.[5][6][12][7] There is no single agreed-upon upper limit for normal temperature: sources use values ranging between 37.2 and 38.3 °C (99.0 and 100.9 °F) in humans.[1][7][8] The increase in set point triggers increased muscle contractions and causes a feeling of cold or chills.[2] This results in greater heat production and efforts to conserve heat.[3] When the set point temperature returns to normal, a person feels hot, becomes flushed, and may begin to sweat.[3] Rarely a fever may trigger a febrile seizure, with this being more common in young children.[4] Fevers do not typically go higher than 41 to 42 °C (106 to 108 °F).[6]
Fever | |
---|---|
Other names | Pyrexia, febrile response, febrile[1] |
Person with fever | |
Specialty | Infectious disease, pediatrics |
Symptoms | Initially: shivering, feeling cold, chills[2] Later: flushed, sweating[3] |
Complications | Febrile seizure[4] |
Causes | Virus, bacteria, increase in the body's temperature set point[5][6] |
Diagnostic method | Temperature higher than the normal range of 37.2 and 38.3 °C (99.0 and 100.9 °F)[1][7][8] |
Differential diagnosis | Hyperthermia[1] |
Treatment | Based on underlying cause, not required for fever itself[2][9] |
Medication | Ibuprofen, paracetamol (acetaminophen)[9][10] |
Frequency | Common[2][11] |
A fever can be caused by many medical conditions ranging from non-serious to life-threatening.[13] This includes viral, bacterial, and parasitic infections—such as influenza, the common cold, meningitis, urinary tract infections, appendicitis, Lassa, COVID-19, and malaria.[13][14] Non-infectious causes include vasculitis, deep vein thrombosis, connective tissue disease, side effects of medication or vaccination, and cancer.[13][15] It differs from hyperthermia, in that hyperthermia is an increase in body temperature over the temperature set point, due to either too much heat production or not enough heat loss.[1]
Treatment to reduce fever is generally not required.[2][9] Treatment of associated pain and inflammation, however, may be useful and help a person rest.[9] Medications such as ibuprofen or paracetamol (acetaminophen) may help with this as well as lower temperature.[9][10] Children younger than three months require medical attention, as might people with serious medical problems such as a compromised immune system or people with other symptoms.[16] Hyperthermia requires treatment.[2]
Fever is one of the most common medical signs.[2] It is part of about 30% of healthcare visits by children[2] and occurs in up to 75% of adults who are seriously sick.[11] While fever evolved as a defense mechanism, treating a fever does not appear to improve or worsen outcomes.[17][18][19] Fever is often viewed with greater concern by parents and healthcare professionals than is usually deserved, a phenomenon known as "fever phobia."[2][20]