Fever without apparent source on clinical examination

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Paul L McCarthy1

  • 1Section of General Pediatrics, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut 06510-8064, USA. paul.mccarthy@yale.edu

Current Opinion in Pediatrics
|January 25, 2003
PubMed

Insights

Pediatric infectious diseases, including fever without source and prolonged fever, require careful evaluation. This review covers recent literature on diagnosis and management for infants and children in office practices.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatrics
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Clinical Practice

Background:

  • Common pediatric infectious diseases present diagnostic challenges in office settings.
  • Fever without apparent source and prolonged fever of unknown origin are frequent concerns.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review recent literature on the evaluation and management of acute fevers without source in children.
  • To discuss the approach to prolonged fevers of unknown origin in pediatric patients.
  • To cover lower respiratory infections in children.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of recent publications.
  • Synthesis of current evidence on epidemiology, pathophysiology, diagnosis, and therapy.
  • Focus on specific age groups: infants <90 days, children 3-36 months, and children with prolonged fever.

Main Results:

  • Provides updated information on managing febrile illnesses where the source is not immediately apparent.
  • Offers guidance on evaluating children with fevers lasting over 7-10 days without a diagnosis.
  • Includes insights into lower respiratory infections.

Conclusions:

  • Emphasizes the importance of a systematic approach to febrile children in pediatric practice.
  • Highlights recent advancements in understanding and treating common pediatric infectious diseases.
  • Aids clinicians in diagnosing and managing complex fever presentations.

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