What are the main causes of fever. How can you effectively treat fever at home. When should you seek medical attention for a fever. What are the different levels of fever severity in adults. How does fever help fight infections. What are the emergency warning signs associated with fever.

Understanding Fever: Your Body’s Natural Defense Mechanism

Fever, medically known as pyrexia, is a condition where your body temperature rises above the normal range. While often viewed with concern, fever actually plays a crucial role in fighting infections. It serves as your body’s primary defense mechanism against invading pathogens.

How does fever help combat infections? By elevating body temperature, fever creates an environment less hospitable for many bacteria and viruses. This elevated temperature also activates and enhances your immune system’s response, making it more efficient in battling the infection.

What Constitutes a Fever?

A body temperature of 100.4°F (38°C) or higher is generally considered a fever. However, it’s important to note that ‘normal’ body temperature can vary between individuals and fluctuate throughout the day. Typically, body temperature tends to be higher in the afternoon compared to early morning.

Fever Severity Levels in Adults

• Low-grade fever: 99.1°F to 100.4°F (37.3°C to 38.0°C)
• Moderate-grade fever: 100.6°F to 102.2°F (38.1°C to 39.0°C)
• High-grade fever: 102.4°F to 105.8°F (39.1°C to 41°C)

Common Causes of Fever: Beyond Infections

While infections are the most frequent cause of fever, several other conditions can trigger an elevated body temperature. Understanding these various causes can help in determining the appropriate course of action.

Infection-Related Causes

• Viral infections (e.g., influenza, common cold)
• Bacterial infections (e.g., strep throat, urinary tract infections)
• Fungal infections
• Parasitic infections

Non-Infectious Causes

• Heat exhaustion
• Certain medications
• Autoimmune disorders (e.g., rheumatoid arthritis, lupus)
• Cancers (particularly blood cancers like leukemia and lymphoma)
• Hormonal disorders (e.g., thyroiditis)
• Vaccines (as part of the body’s immune response)

Can stress cause fever? While stress itself doesn’t directly cause fever, chronic stress can weaken the immune system, making you more susceptible to infections that may lead to fever.

Recognizing Fever Symptoms: Beyond the Thermometer

While an elevated body temperature is the primary indicator of fever, several other symptoms often accompany this condition. Being aware of these signs can help you identify a fever even without a thermometer.

Common Fever Symptoms

• Feeling warm to the touch
• Chills and shivering
• Sweating
• Headache
• Muscle aches
• Loss of appetite
• Dehydration
• General weakness and fatigue

Is it possible to have a fever without feeling hot? Yes, in some cases, particularly during the early stages of a fever, you might experience chills without feeling hot. This occurs as your body works to raise its internal temperature.

Effective Fever Treatment Strategies

The approach to treating a fever often depends on its underlying cause and severity. In many cases, mild to moderate fevers can be managed at home with simple remedies and over-the-counter medications.

Home Remedies for Fever

1. Rest: Allow your body to conserve energy for fighting the infection.
2. Hydration: Drink plenty of fluids to prevent dehydration.
3. Cool compress: Apply a damp, lukewarm cloth to your forehead.
4. Light clothing: Wear breathable, lightweight clothes to help regulate body temperature.
5. Room temperature: Keep your environment comfortably cool.

Over-the-Counter Medications

Antipyretic medications can help reduce fever and alleviate associated discomfort. Common options include:

• Acetaminophen (Tylenol)
• Ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin)
• Aspirin (for adults only, not recommended for children due to the risk of Reye’s syndrome)

How often should you take fever-reducing medication? Follow the dosage instructions on the package or as directed by your healthcare provider. Typically, these medications are taken every 4-6 hours as needed.

When to Seek Medical Attention for a Fever

While many fevers can be managed at home, certain situations warrant immediate medical attention. Being aware of these warning signs can help you make informed decisions about seeking professional care.

Emergency Warning Signs

• Fever above 103°F (39.4°C) that doesn’t respond to medication
• Fever lasting more than three days
• Severe headache or neck stiffness
• Confusion or decreased alertness
• Seizures
• Difficulty breathing
• Persistent vomiting or severe diarrhea
• Signs of dehydration (dry mouth, sunken eyes, decreased urination)
• Unusual skin rash, especially if it rapidly worsens

Should you always try to lower a fever? Not necessarily. Mild to moderate fevers often play a beneficial role in fighting infections. However, if the fever is causing significant discomfort or is accompanied by concerning symptoms, it’s appropriate to take steps to reduce it.

Special Considerations: Fever in Children and Older Adults

Fever management can differ for certain age groups. Children and older adults may require special attention and different treatment approaches when dealing with elevated body temperatures.

Fever in Children

Children often experience higher fevers than adults. Here are some guidelines for managing fever in children:

• For infants under 3 months: Any fever (100.4°F or higher) warrants immediate medical attention.
• For children 3-36 months: Fever above 102.2°F should be evaluated by a healthcare provider.
• For older children: Fever alone isn’t always a cause for concern if the child is drinking fluids and behaving normally.

What’s the best way to take a child’s temperature? For the most accurate reading, use a digital thermometer rectally for infants and young children, or orally for older children who can cooperate.

Fever in Older Adults

Older adults may not develop fever as readily as younger individuals. Even a slight temperature elevation in an elderly person could indicate a serious infection. Seek medical advice if an older adult:

• Has a temperature above 101°F (38.3°C)
• Experiences confusion or changes in mental state
• Has other chronic health conditions

Preventing Fever: Boosting Your Body’s Defenses

While not all fevers are preventable, you can take steps to reduce your risk of developing infections that often lead to fever. Strengthening your immune system and practicing good hygiene are key strategies in fever prevention.

Immune-Boosting Strategies

1. Maintain a balanced diet rich in fruits, vegetables, and lean proteins.
2. Get regular exercise to enhance overall health and immune function.
3. Ensure adequate sleep (7-9 hours for adults).
4. Manage stress through relaxation techniques or mindfulness practices.
5. Consider supplements like vitamin C, vitamin D, and zinc (consult with a healthcare provider first).

Hygiene Practices

• Wash hands frequently with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.
• Avoid touching your face, especially your mouth, nose, and eyes.
• Stay up-to-date with vaccinations.
• Avoid close contact with individuals who are sick.
• Clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces regularly.

Can certain foods help prevent fever? While no specific food can prevent fever, a diet rich in vitamins and minerals supports overall immune function, potentially reducing your susceptibility to infections that cause fever.

Understanding Fever Patterns: What They Reveal About Your Health

Fever patterns can provide valuable insights into the underlying cause of the elevated body temperature. Different types of fevers often correspond to specific health conditions or infections.

Common Fever Patterns

• Continuous fever: Temperature remains above normal throughout the day and doesn’t fluctuate more than 1°C. Common in lobar pneumonia and typhoid.
• Remittent fever: Temperature fluctuates during the day but never returns to normal. Often seen in infective endocarditis and brucellosis.
• Intermittent fever: Temperature returns to normal between fever spikes. Characteristic of malaria and septicemia.
• Relapsing fever: Fever-free periods alternating with periods of fever lasting several days. Associated with rat-bite fever and malaria.

How can understanding fever patterns aid in diagnosis? Recognizing these patterns can help healthcare providers narrow down potential causes and guide further diagnostic tests, leading to more accurate and timely treatment.

The Role of Fever in Different Medical Conditions

While fever is commonly associated with infections, it can also be a symptom of various other medical conditions:

• Inflammatory disorders: Conditions like rheumatoid arthritis or inflammatory bowel disease can cause low-grade fevers.
• Malignancies: Certain cancers, particularly lymphomas, can cause persistent or recurring fevers.
• Drug-induced fever: Some medications can trigger fever as a side effect.
• Hormonal imbalances: Thyroid disorders or other endocrine issues may lead to temperature regulation problems.

Fever serves as an important diagnostic tool, often prompting further investigation into underlying health issues. By paying attention to the pattern, duration, and accompanying symptoms of a fever, both patients and healthcare providers can gain valuable insights into potential health concerns.

Fever Treatments & Causes | Well-Key Urgent Care Clinic

A fever is a condition that refers to your body temperature being higher than normal. Also known as Pyrexia, a fever is your body’s main defense against infection, as most bacteria and viruses find it difficult to survive at temperatures higher than your body’s normal temperature. Fevers also serve to activate your body’s immune system. Most fevers are caused by infections; however, other causes include heat exhaustion, cancers, autoimmune disorders, and certain medicines.

Symptoms

• If your body temperature is 100.5 or above, then you have a fever.
• If you have a sore throat, dry cough, muscle aches or headaches, or general fatigue, then you may also have a fever.
• Nausea, diarrhea and vomiting and weight loss may accompany a fever.
• If you are having chills, you likely have a fever.

It is important to remember that a fever is usually a symptom of an infection, and to monitor your symptoms very carefully.

Who is at risk?

• If you are suffering from any kind of infection, fever is usually the most common symptom
• If you are taking certain medications, your risk of fever may be higher
• People suffering from heat exhaustion
• People with cancer
• People with autoimmune diseases

Treatment

Treatment of your fever will depend on the cause of your fever. Usually, over the counter medications such as ibuprofen or acetaminophen will lower a very high fever. Adults can also take aspirin, although aspirin should not be given to children with fevers. You should also be sure to drink enough liquids to prevent dehydration.
Fever in children requires different treatment than in adults; contact your child’s physician for more information.

Emergency Warning Signs: When should I see a doctor?

• If your fever lasts for over a week, seek medical attention
• If you have lost weight unintentionally
• If your fever comes and goes and/or stays considerably high
• If you have recently started taking a new medicine
• If you have been exposed to high temperatures and are not sweating (this is a sign of heatstroke)

If you have any symptoms of infection that have lasted more than a few days, see your doctor right away.

If your child has anything more than a low-grade fever that can be treated with cold medicine, seek medical attention immediately, as the fever may be a symptom of a serious infection.

Treatment is available now at Well-Key Urgent Care.

For more information on fevers, see the following websites:

Read Now

Chart to Determine Your Type of Fever – from FamilyDoctor.org

Read Now

Medline Plus (NIH) Fever Page

Disclaimer: The links above are to sites independent of Wellkeyhealth.com. The pages will open in a new browser window. The information provided is for educational purposes only, and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. If you have or suspect you may have a health problem, you should consult your doctor. Always follow your doctor’s recommendations regarding your specific medical questions, treatments, therapies, and other needs.

Fever in adults – Harvard Health

Fever is one of the body’s most effective ways of fighting infection. It is part of your body’s defense against infection-causing germs.

You get a fever most often when your body is trying to kill infectious invaders such as viruses or bacteria. A higher body temperature helps the immune system respond more vigorously to the attack, and makes it harder for these microbes to survive.

What is considered a fever in adults?

The average body temperature is 98.6° F (37°C). But “normal” body temperature varies from person to person. It also changes during the day, rising a bit after you eat or exercise. Body temperature is often higher in the afternoon than it is when you wake up in the morning.

Fever means a body temperature of 100.4° F (38°C) or higher.

High fever in adults

While any temperature above your normal temperature range is considered a fever, there are different levels of fever severity:

• Low-grade: 99.1 to 100.4 F (37.3 to 38.0 C)
• Moderate-grade: 100. 6 to 102.2 F (38.1 to 39.0 C)
• High-grade: 102.4 to 105.8 F (39.1 to 41 C)

When to worry about fever

If you have a fever over 104°F (40°C), you should call your doctor.

Seek medical help right away if you have a fever along with any of these symptoms:

• seizure
• loss of consciousness
• confusion
• stiff neck
• trouble breathing
• severe pain anywhere in the body
• swelling or inflammation of any part of the body
• vaginal discharge that is discolored or smells bad
• pain when urinating or urine that smells bad.

Causes of fever

An infection, such as the flu, is the most common cause of fever.

Other conditions can also cause a fever. These include diseases that produce inflammation, such as rheumatoid arthritis; reactions to drugs or vaccines; and even certain types of cancers.

Accompanying symptoms

The following symptoms may also accompany fever:

• sweats
• chills
• headache
• achy muscles
• lack of desire to eat
• rash
• restlessness
• weakness.

A very high fever can cause confusion, extreme sleepiness, irritability, and seizures.

Diagnosing the cause of a fever

To help determine why you have a fever, your doctor will ask you about:

• other symptoms such as coughing, abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhea, or pain when urinating
• recent surgeries or injuries
• recent vaccinations
• new drugs you may be taking
• recent travel, particularly travel abroad.

How to treat a fever at home

By itself, fever is usually harmless, though a high fever can be miserable. These steps may help you feel better:

• Drink plenty of fluids to help cool your body and prevent dehydration.
• Eat light foods that are easy to digest.
• Get plenty of rest.
• Take ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin, or others), naproxen (Aleve, Naprosyn, or others), or acetaminophen (Tylenol, others) to help relieve head and body aches and lower your temperature.
• Take a slightly warm (not cool) bath, or apply damp washcloths to the forehead and wrists.

Image: yacobchuck/Getty Images

Hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS)

Measures to prevent hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS)

The Office of Rospotrebnadzor in the Perm Territory reminds owners of garden plots and residents of the region who plan to visit the forest, legal entities and individual entrepreneurs to prevent hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS).

Hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome is a natural focal infection. The pathogen parasitizes in the body of small mammals and together with them forms foci of the disease that exist in nature for an indefinitely long time. Natural foci of HFRS in the Perm Territory are territorially located in the forest-steppe zone and forests of the southern territories of the Territory, bordering the Republic of Bashkortostan, the Udmurt Republic, the Kirov Region, are confined to massifs of deciduous forests and occupy a significant part of the territory of the Territory (about 60% of the territory of the Territory).

Perm region is endemic for this disease. HFRS diseases occur throughout the year. The lowest incidence rate occurs in February-April, in May the number of cases increases and reaches a maximum in September-October, then a gradual decline occurs. The nature of seasonality is determined by the number and species composition of rodents, the degree and frequency of contact of the population with the source of infection. The incidence rate in different years depends both on the number of rodents and on climatic and social factors (development of forest areas).

In 2022, 128 cases of HFRS were registered, the rate was 4.9 per 100 thousand population, there is a 4.5-fold increase in incidence compared to 2021 (1.07 per 100 thousand population), the indicator in the region is at the level of the Russian Federation (RF – 4.7 per 100 thousand population).

The reservoir of the HFRS pathogen in nature is small mammals (hereinafter referred to as MM, the main carrier is the bank vole). An analysis of the results of accounting work showed that the relative number of SMs in 2022 is 13.8% (average hit percentage), which is 2.9 higher than the same period last yeartimes (2021 – 4.7%), but at the level of average long-term indicators (13.9%). With a successful wintering of MM in 2023, , the epidemiological situation is expected to worsen in terms of the incidence of HFRS in the population of the region.

Infection of a person occurs by the air-dust route when the dried feces of infected rodents enter the respiratory tract with dust. Foodborne infection is possible through products contaminated with rodent secretions. Infections most often occur during a short stay on vacation in the forest, when working in gardens, vegetable gardens and cottages, at the place of residence, in houses located near the forest, in production related to work in the forest or near it, in the countryside, during transportation hay and straw, etc.

The disease begins suddenly – with chills, fever, severe headaches, aching muscles and joints, loss of appetite and general weakness. Subsequently, vomiting, nausea, dizziness, insomnia join.

If you do not seek medical help in time, severe forms of the disease can develop, which pose a serious danger to human life.

Preventive measures:

• when working with a large amount of dust (demolition of old buildings, loading of hay, straw, grass, dismantling of stacks of boards, logs, heaps of brushwood, cleaning of premises, etc.), it is necessary to use gloves and a respirator or a cotton-gauze bandage;
• cleaning of premises should be carried out only with a wet method;
• strictly observe the rules of personal hygiene;
• products must be kept inaccessible to rodents, stored in a metal, tightly closed container. Food products damaged by rodents cannot be used for food without heat treatment;
• do not drink water from open reservoirs;
• Never touch live or dead rodents without gloves or rubber gloves.

Legal entities, individual entrepreneurs, heads of horticultural non-profit partnerships, citizens must provide:

• improvement of the organization’s territories, sites and adjacent territories;
• organizing and carrying out deratization measures against mouse-like rodents on their territory, ensuring that buildings and structures are rodent-proof;
• carrying out preventive deratization measures against mouse-like rodents on their territory, including cleared areas of forests from debris, dead wood, dead wood, dense undergrowth, in autumn and spring.

An outbreak of mouse fever is predicted in Tatarstan 04/08/2023

Society

07:30 | April 8

8

Photo:
KazanFirst

Author of the article:
Anastasia Marukhina

Along with the onset of the dacha-barbecue season, the risks of contracting natural focal infections rise sharply. One of them is HFRS or mouse fever. According to doctors, Tatarstan residents become infected with this disease more often than with tick-borne encephalitis and other infections. Last year alone, the incidence of HFRS increased by almost 3 times.

This year, Tatarstan is waiting for the peak incidence of hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) or, as it is popularly called, mouse fever. This statement was made by the republican Rospotrebnadzor.

– The infection is very important for us, for our region. HFRS has a cycle of three to four years. In 2022, we recorded the peak incidence. In the current year, we also expect an increase in the number of cases, given that, according to the forecast, an increase in the number of rodents is also expected, – warned the deputy head of the Office of Rospotrebnadzor in the republic Lyubov Avdonina at one of the press conferences.

Today the republic is in 3rd place in terms of the number of cases of mouse fever among the regions of the Volga Federal District. The results of the incidence of last year increased by 2.7 times compared to 2021. So, for 12 months, 293 cases of HFRS were registered, the incidence rate was 7.9 per 100 thousand of the population. Moreover, men are more likely to become infected with mouse fever. They account for 80% of all cases. Children (5%), women and the elderly get sick less often.

This year’s results can only be guessed at. So far, there are no Tatarstans infected with the fever in the region. The Rospotrebnadzor recalled that the incidence of HFRS is characterized by pronounced seasonality: from May to December.

European bank voles are the main reservoir, vector and source of human infection. The virus is contained in their blood and most intensively excreted from their body with urine, feces and saliva. Dried excretions of rodents rise into the air with dust when cleaning the premises, felling the forest, collecting brushwood for a fire, working with hay, as well as while smoking and eating with unwashed hands and enter the human body. It is worth saying that HFRS is not transmitted from person to person.

– Entering the human body, the virus spreads to the endothelium, the lining of blood vessels and the lungs. Violation of their permeability can lead to the formation of microthrombi. All this can cause intoxication of the body, a cytokine storm, – explained the director of the Scientific and Clinical Center for Precision and Regenerative Medicine of the Institute of Fundamental Medicine and Biology of KFU, corresponding member of the Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Tatarstan Albert Rizvanov.

The incubation period of the disease can last more than 10 days. Often, people confuse mouse fever with SARS due to similar symptoms. The patient’s body temperature rises to 38-40 degrees, he experiences a headache, pain throughout the body and in the lower back, and vomiting. Some patients have nasal congestion, cough, scleritis.

– It is quite difficult to make a diagnosis of HFRS at the first stage, since clinical manifestations are still not enough, – said the chief specialist in infectious diseases of the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Tatarstan Khalit Khaertynov.

The second stage includes the appearance of redness on the face and neck, possibly the appearance of conjunctivitis. Some patients lose visual acuity. These symptoms last from 1 to 9 days.

– The next step is kidney damage. In this period, pain in the lower back appears, there is a decrease in the amount of urine. There are visual disturbances. The duration of this period ranges from 5 to 10 days, then there comes a period when kidney function is restored, – the source said, adding that the healing process takes place under the obligatory supervision of a doctor. – Despite the fact that the infection is not transmitted from person to person, patients with HFRS are hospitalized in an infectious diseases hospital. Treatment is complex with antiviral drugs.

Experts urge people from Tatarstan to immediately consult a doctor in case of signs of mouse fever, as with timely treatment, the disease progresses more easily and the ability to work is restored faster.

Rospotrebnadzor called Tatarstan a natural focus of hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome. The department explained that the republic is located in two zoological zones – forest and steppe. These two zones are the habitat of rodents, they account for more than 50% of all infections.

According to Albert Rizvanov, this year there is a high risk of infection in two locations – in the forests southeast of the village of High Gora and in the forests east of the village of Smak-Korsa. The expert explained that KFU scientists collected material and determined in which areas which strain of hantavirus is present. Biological material was taken from patients, with the help of which it was possible to identify which strain of hantavirus (the virus that causes HFRS – Ed.) is present in patients.

– Having carried out a genetic analysis, we determined that this strain could have arisen precisely at the border of different regions, – the source said, adding that the information received in the future will help develop effective methods for preventing the disease.

You can catch mouse fever not only in the forest and fields. There are also household types of infection (about 30%), that is, you can “catch” the virus even at home, as well as in garden plots.

– Infection can occur anywhere, at any time, Lyubov Avdonina warned.

It is worth saying that, unlike many other diseases, it is impossible to protect yourself from hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome by vaccination. There is no vaccine for the virus.

– No specific prevention of HFRS has yet been invented, – confirms Khalit Khaertynov.

According to the infectious diseases specialist, people from Tatarstan must take precautionary measures. When visiting the forest, fishing, hunting, wash your hands before eating, do not touch mice or their corpses with your hands. If facilities for handwashing are not available, use liquid skin antiseptics or wet wipes.

It is necessary to carry out wet cleaning in apartments and houses, especially for suburban areas.