The normal active human has a temperature of about 37°C. The word “about” is used advisedly, because the
temperature is not an absolute value. A woman’s temperature rises by up to half a degree after she ovulates in the
middle of her cycle.
Many people have temperatures up to a degree below the average with no adverse effects.
The body temperature will also vary slightly depending on the time of day, food intake and the climate. All these
factors must be taken into account when the notion of a normal temperature is considered.
A fever (pyrexia) is a sign that the body is fighting an infection, inflammation, or invasion by cancer or foreign
tissue. A fever may be beneficial to the patient, because many germs (viruses particularly) are temperature
sensitive, and are destroyed by the fever. A fever over 40°C though should be reduced by using paracetamol or
aspirin and cool baths.
An infection by a bacteria (eg. pneumonia, tuberculosis, tonsillitis, ear infection, urinary infection), virus (eg.
common cold, influenza, hepatitis, chickenpox, AIDS) or fungus (eg. serious fungal infections of lungs) is by far the
most common cause of a fever. A viral infection usually causes a fever that comes and goes during the day, often
with a sudden onset in the morning and evening, followed by a slow decline to normal over the next couple of
hours. Bacterial infections tend to cause a constant fever, usually over 38.5°C. This is because bacteria reproduce
like all animals, at random times, while viruses tend to reproduce all at once, so the body is subjected to a sudden
doubling of the number of viruses, which stimulates the brain to increase the body temperature.
Infections can occur in any tissue or organ of the body, and other symptoms will depend upon where the
infection is sited. An untreated bacterial infection will result in pus formation, and an abscess full of pus may form at
any site of infection (eg. under the skin, in the lung, at the root of a tooth, in the bowel) and continue to cause a
fever.
Remember that the absence of a fever does not mean the absence of infection, particularly in older people, as
many elderly people do not develop a fever with infections.
Rarely, medications can cause a fever as a side effect.
temperature is not an absolute value. A woman’s temperature rises by up to half a degree after she ovulates in the
middle of her cycle.
Many people have temperatures up to a degree below the average with no adverse effects.
The body temperature will also vary slightly depending on the time of day, food intake and the climate. All these
factors must be taken into account when the notion of a normal temperature is considered.
A fever (pyrexia) is a sign that the body is fighting an infection, inflammation, or invasion by cancer or foreign
tissue. A fever may be beneficial to the patient, because many germs (viruses particularly) are temperature
sensitive, and are destroyed by the fever. A fever over 40°C though should be reduced by using paracetamol or
aspirin and cool baths.
An infection by a bacteria (eg. pneumonia, tuberculosis, tonsillitis, ear infection, urinary infection), virus (eg.
common cold, influenza, hepatitis, chickenpox, AIDS) or fungus (eg. serious fungal infections of lungs) is by far the
most common cause of a fever. A viral infection usually causes a fever that comes and goes during the day, often
with a sudden onset in the morning and evening, followed by a slow decline to normal over the next couple of
hours. Bacterial infections tend to cause a constant fever, usually over 38.5°C. This is because bacteria reproduce
like all animals, at random times, while viruses tend to reproduce all at once, so the body is subjected to a sudden
doubling of the number of viruses, which stimulates the brain to increase the body temperature.
Infections can occur in any tissue or organ of the body, and other symptoms will depend upon where the
infection is sited. An untreated bacterial infection will result in pus formation, and an abscess full of pus may form at
any site of infection (eg. under the skin, in the lung, at the root of a tooth, in the bowel) and continue to cause a
fever.
Remember that the absence of a fever does not mean the absence of infection, particularly in older people, as
many elderly people do not develop a fever with infections.
Rarely, medications can cause a fever as a side effect.
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