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Infectious causes of fever of unknown origin

Alastair C McGregor1, David A Moore2

  • 1London, UK, and Imported Fever Service, RIPL, Public Health England, Porton Down, UK alastair.mcgregor@uclh.nhs.uk.

Clinical Medicine (London, England)
|June 3, 2015
PubMed

Insights

Fever of unknown origin (FUO) causes are evolving with diagnostic advancements. This review covers bacterial, viral, parasitic, and fungal infections presenting as prolonged fever, detailing their clinical features and diagnostic approaches.

Area of Science:

  • Infectious Diseases
  • Clinical Medicine
  • Diagnostic Microbiology

Background:

  • Changing patterns in fever of unknown origin (FUO) are observed due to improved diagnostic capabilities.
  • Traditional causes are increasingly identified, necessitating a focus on less common or difficult-to-diagnose infections.
  • Prolonged fever remains a diagnostic challenge, impacting patient management and outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To summarize the evolving causes of FUO, focusing on infectious etiologies.
  • To outline the clinical features of various bacterial, viral, parasitic, and fungal infections causing prolonged fever.
  • To present a diagnostic strategy for identifying these infections in patients with FUO.

Main Methods:

  • Review of current literature on FUO and infectious causes.
  • Categorization of infections based on diagnostic methods (culture, serology, molecular tests).
  • Synthesis of clinical presentations and recommended diagnostic pathways.

Main Results:

  • Bacterial infections are a significant cause of FUO, with varying diagnostic requirements.
  • Viral, parasitic, and fungal infections also contribute to prolonged fever and require specific diagnostic tools.
  • Advances in diagnostics are crucial for identifying infections previously categorized as FUO.

Conclusions:

  • The landscape of FUO causes is shifting towards infections requiring advanced diagnostic techniques.
  • A systematic approach integrating clinical features and appropriate testing is essential for diagnosing infectious FUO.
  • Understanding these evolving infectious causes improves patient diagnosis and management.
Keywords:
Feverchronicoriginpyrexiaunknown

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