FEVER, CHRONIC
Ask the Following Questions:
- Is there a history of drug ingestion or injection? Of course, the history should reveal that the patient has been on a certain drug or has received certain antitoxins, serums, or vaccines.
- Is there a rash? If there is a rash, one should suspect subacute bacterial endocarditis, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, secondary syphilis, rat-bite fever, pemphigus, a drug reaction, lupus erythematosus, dermatomyositis, or typhoid fever. There are other conditions associated with a rash also.
- Is there a characteristic pattern to the fever? The various forms of malaria give a characteristic pattern of the fever, as well as undulant fever in Hodgkin's disease.
- Is there localized pain? Abdominal pain should suggest a cholecystitis, hepatic abscess, diverticulitis, etc. A sore throat should suggest infectious mononucleosis, leukemia, and subacute thyroiditis. Joint pain should suggest rheumatoid arthritis, rheumatic fever, or gonococcal arthritis. Earache should suggest otitis media or mastoiditis. Chest pain should suggest tuberculosis, pleurisy, or empyema.
- Is there a localized discharge? Purulent sputum should suggest pneumonia, tuberculosis, or chronic fungal disease in the lung. A urethral discharge would suggest gonorrhea or Reiter's disease.
- Is there a localized mass or swelling? An abdominal mass would suggest hepatic abscess, pancreatic cyst, or diverticular abscess. A flank mass might suggest hypernephroma or perinephric abscess.
DIAGNOSTIC WORKUP
The diagnostic workup is similar to that for acute fever on
page 168
.
Book Source Details
- Book Title: Algorithmic Diagnosis of Symptoms and Signs
- Author(s): R. Douglas Collins
- Year of Publication: 2003
- Copyright Details: Algorithmic Diagnosis of Symptoms and Signs, Copyright © 2003 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.
Other Book Chapters Related to Cold-like symptoms
Read excerpts from these other book chapters related to Cold-like symptoms:
Medical Books Excerpts
- COUGH
- "Algorithmic Diagnosis of Symptoms and Signs" (2003)
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- EARACHE
- "Algorithmic Diagnosis of Symptoms and Signs" (2003)
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- Fever
- "In a Page: Signs and Symptoms" (2004)
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- COUGH
- "Differential Diagnosis in Primary Care" (2007)
- [ read ]
- EARACHE
- "Differential Diagnosis in Primary Care" (2007)
- [ read ]
- FEVER
- "Differential Diagnosis in Primary Care" (2007)
- [ read ]
- Earache
- "Handbook of Signs & Symptoms (Third Edition)" (2006)
- [ read ]
- Fever
- "Handbook of Signs & Symptoms (Third Edition)" (2006)
- [ read ]
- Cough
- "A Pocket Manual of Differential Diagnosis" (1999)
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- Common cold
- "Professional Guide to Diseases (Eighth Edition)" (2005)
- [ read ]
- Lassa fever
- "Professional Guide to Diseases (Eighth Edition)" (2005)
- [ read ]
- Cough
- "The 10-Minute Diagnosis Manual: Symptoms and Signs in the Time-Limited Encounter" (2000)
- [ read ]
- Fever
- "The 10-Minute Diagnosis Manual: Symptoms and Signs in the Time-Limited Encounter" (2000)
- [ read ]
- Cough, barking
- "Alarming Signs and Symptoms: Lippincott Manual of Nursing Practice Series" (2007)
- [ read ]
- Cough, productive
- "Alarming Signs and Symptoms: Lippincott Manual of Nursing Practice Series" (2007)
- [ read ]
- Fever
- "Alarming Signs and Symptoms: Lippincott Manual of Nursing Practice Series" (2007)
- [ read ]
- Earache
- "Signs & Symptoms: A 2-in-1 Reference for Nurses" (2007)
- [ read ]
- Fever
- "Signs & Symptoms: A 2-in-1 Reference for Nurses" (2007)
- [ read ]
- Cough
- "The Diagnostic Approach to Symptoms and Signs in Pediatrics" (2006)
- [ read ]
- Earache
- "The Diagnostic Approach to Symptoms and Signs in Pediatrics" (2006)
- [ read ]
- Fever
- "The Diagnostic Approach to Symptoms and Signs in Pediatrics" (2006)
- [ read ]
- Sore Throat
- "The Diagnostic Approach to Symptoms and Signs in Pediatrics" (2006)
- [ read ]
- COUGH
- "Differential Diagnosis in Primary Care" (2007)
- [ read ]
- EARACHE
- "Differential Diagnosis in Primary Care" (2007)
- [ read ]
- FEVER
- "Differential Diagnosis in Primary Care" (2007)
- [ read ]
Copyright Details: Algorithmic Diagnosis of Symptoms and Signs, Copyright © 2008 Williams & Wilkins.
More About Causes of Cold-like symptoms
» Next page: Fever (In a Page: Signs and Symptoms)
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