Fever

On this page
Signs of severity

Infectious causes of fever according to localizing symptoms

Laboratory and other examinations

Aetiological treatment

Symptomatic treatment

Prevention of complications

Fever is defined as an axillary temperature higher than or equal to 37.5 °C.

Fever is frequently due to infection. In a febrile patient, first look for signs of serious illness then, try to
establish a diagnosis.

Signs of severity
Severe tachycardia, tachypnoea, respiratory distress, SpO2 ≤ 90%.
Shock, altered mental status, petechial or purpuric rash, meningeal signs, seizures, heart murmur,
severe abdominal pain, dehydration, critically ill appearance a ; a bulging fontanel in young
children.

Infectious causes of fever according to localizing symptoms

 Signs or symptoms Possible aetiology

Meningeal signs, seizures Meningitis/meningoencephalitis/severe malaria

Abdominal pain or peritoneal signs Appendicitis/peritonitis/typhoid fever

Diarrhoea, vomiting Gastroenteritis/typhoid fever

Jaundice, enlarged liver Viral hepatitis

Cough Pneumonia/measles/tuberculosis if persistent

Ear pain, red tympanic membrane Otitis media

Sore throat, enlarged lymph nodes Streptococcal pharyngitis, diphtheria

Dysuria, urinary frequency, back pain Urinary tract infection

Red, warm, painful skin Erysipelas, cellulitis, abscess

Limp, difficulty walking Osteomyelitis/septic arthritis

Rash Measles/dengue/haemorrhagic fever/chikungunya

Bleeding (petechiae, epistaxis, etc.) Dengue/haemorrhagic fever

Joint pain Rheumatic fever/chikungunya/dengue

 
In endemic area, always consider malaria.
If the patient is ill appearing a and has a persistent fever, consider HIV infection and
tuberculosis, according to clinical presentation.

Laboratory and other examinations

Children less than 2 months with a temperature higher than or equal to 37.5 °C without a focus:
Urinary dipstick;
Lumbar puncture (LP) if child less than 1 month or if any of the following: meningeal
signs, coma, seizures, critically ill appearance a , failure of prior antibiotic therapy, suspicion
of staphylococcal infection;
Chest X-Ray (if available) in case of signs of respiratory disease.
Children 2 months to 3 years with a temperature higher than or equal to 38 °C without a focus:
Urine dipstick;
 White blood cell count (WBC) if available;
LP if meningeal signs.
Children over 3 years and adults with a temperature higher than or equal to 39 °C:
According to clinical presentation.

Aetiological treatment
Antibiotherapy according to the cause of fever.
For patients with sickle cell disease, see Sickle cell disease, Chapter 12.
If no source of infection is found, hospitalise and treat the following children with
empiric antibiotics:
Children less than 1 month;
Children 1 month to 3 years with WBC ≥ 15000 or ≤ 5000 cells/mm3;
All critically ill appearing a  patients or those with signs of serious illness;
For antibiotic doses according to age, see Acute pneumonia, Chapter 2.

Symptomatic treatment
Undress the patient. Do not wrap children in wet towels or cloths (not effective,
increases discomfort, risk of hypothermia).
Antipyretics may increase the patient’s comfort but they do not prevent febrile convulsions. Do not
treat for more than 3 days with antipyretics.
paracetamol PO 
Children less than 1 month: 10 mg/kg 3 to 4 times daily (max. 40 mg/kg daily)
Children 1 month and over: 15 mg/kg 3 to 4 times daily (max. 60 mg/kg daily)
Adults: 1 g 3 to 4 times daily (max. 4 g daily)
or
ibuprofen PO
Children over 3 months and < 12 years: 5 to 10 mg/kg 3 to 4 times daily (max. 30 mg/kg daily)
Children 12 years and over and adults: 200 to 400 mg 3 to 4 times daily (max. 1200 mg daily)
or
acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) PO
Children over 16 years and adults: 500 mg to 1 g 3 to 4 times daily (max. 4 g daily)

Prevention of complications
Encourage oral hydration. Continue frequent breastfeeding in infants.
Look for signs of dehydration.
Monitor urine output.
 
Notes:
In pregnant or breast-feeding women use paracetamol only.
In case of haemorrhagic fever and dengue: acetylsalicylic acid and ibuprofen are
contraindicated; use paracetamol with caution in the presence of hepatic dysfunction.
 

Footnotes
(a) Critically ill appearing child: weak grunting or crying, drowsiness, difficult to arrouse, does not smile,
unconjugate or anxious gaze, pallor or cyanosis, general hypotonia.