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Increased Body Temperature

Increased Body Temperature

A body temperature above 38°C (100.4 °F) is known as fever or pyrexia, and a person with fever is termed 'febrile.' Typically, the hypothalamus, a part of the brain that acts as the body's thermostat, regulates body temperature through a thermoregulatory setpoint. It receives signals from cold and warm thermal receptors throughout the body and adjusts the body's temperature accordingly. Fever occurs when this hypothalamic setpoint is altered, usually in response to an infection or illness.

Types of Fever

Types of Fever

Fever can be triggered by several factors, including infections, nervous system disorders, certain cancers, blood diseases like leukemia, embolism, thrombosis, heatstroke, dehydration, surgical trauma, crushing injuries, and allergic reactions.
Here are the different types of fever:

Patterns of Fever

Patterns of Fever

Before understanding the types and patterns of fever, it is essential to know its phases.

Methods of reducing fever

Methods of reducing fever

The signs and symptoms of fever include hot and dry skin, flushed face, thirst, muscle aches, anorexia, headache, tachycardia, tachypnea, and fatigue. Elevated body temperature is reduced using two methods: pharmacological and nonpharmacological. Proper identification and treatment of the root cause of a fever is of utmost importance.
Pharmacological Methods of Reducing Fever:

Homeostatic Imbalances in Body Temperature

Homeostatic Imbalances in Body Temperature

Hyperthermia occurs when the body's temperature becomes unusually high, often due to heat exposure, intense physical activity, or certain illnesses. This condition can create a dangerous cycle where elevated body temperature increases the metabolic rate, generating more heat and potentially leading to organ failure and brain damage. A severe form of hyperthermia, called heat stroke, can raise body temperature to life-threatening levels. Fever, on the other hand, is a controlled form of...

Yellow Fever

Yellow Fever

Yellow fever is a viral hemorrhagic disease caused by the yellow fever virus (YFV), a member of the Flaviviridae family. It is transmitted primarily by Aedes and Haemagogus mosquitoes in tropical and subtropical regions of Africa and South America. After transmission through a mosquito bite, the virus initially replicates in skin-resident immune cells such as dendritic cells and macrophages. These cells then migrate to the lymph nodes, where viral replication increases, eventually leading to...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 14, 2026

Protocol for Long Duration Whole Body Hyperthermia in Mice

Protocol for Long Duration Whole Body Hyperthermia in Mice

Published on: August 25, 2012

Fever.

Tamas Bartfai¹, Bruno Conti

¹Molecular and Integrative Neurosciences Department, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, USA. tbartfai@scripps.edu

Thescientificworldjournal

|March 23, 2010

Summary

Fever, an elevated body temperature, signals illness and is mediated by specific molecules and pathways. Research into fever identifies drug targets for antipyretics and offers insights into homeostasis and inflammation treatment.

Area of Science:

Physiology
Immunology
Pharmacology

Background:

Body temperature measurement is a primary health assessment tool.
Elevated body temperature, or fever, is a key indicator of disease.
Fever research has evolved significantly, identifying key molecular players.

Purpose of the Study:

To review the identification of molecules and pathways mediating fever.
To explore fever as a common response across various pathologies.
To highlight fever pathways as targets for antipyretic drug development.

Main Methods:

Literature review of fever research.
Analysis of molecular mechanisms underlying fever.
Examination of antipyretic drug targets.

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jun 14, 2026

Protocol for Long Duration Whole Body Hyperthermia in Mice

Protocol for Long Duration Whole Body Hyperthermia in Mice

Published on: August 25, 2012

Main Results:

Identification of exogenous and endogenous mediators of fever.
Fever is a shared response in diverse pathological conditions.
Molecular components of fever pathways are targets for antipyretics like aspirin.

Conclusions:

Fever research has elucidated key molecular pathways and mediators.
Understanding fever pathways informs the development of antipyretic medications.
Fever research provides crucial insights into temperature regulation, energy balance, and inflammatory conditions.