1) Documenting fever – Feeling hot or sweaty does not necessarily signify fever. Fever is diagnosed only when the body temperature of over 38.0C has been recorded. Axillary and aural measurement is less accurate than an oral or rectal. Outpatients may be trained to keep a temperature chart.
2) Rigors – Shivering (followed by excessive sweating) occurs with a rapid rise in body temperature from any cause.
3) Night Sweats – These are associated with particular infections (e.g tuberculosis infective endocarditis) but sweating from any cause is worse at night.
4) Excessive sweating – Alcohol anxiety thyrotoxicosis diabetes mellitus acromegaly lymphoma and excessive environmental heat all-cause sweating without temperature elevation.
5) Recurrent Fever – There are various causes e.g Borrelia recurrentis, a bacterial abscess.
6) Accompanying features –
Headache: Severe headache and photophobia, although characteristics of meningitis, may accompany other infections.
DELIRIUM: Mental confusion during fever is more common in young children and the elderly.
Muscle Pain: Myalgia may occur with viral infections such as influenza, and septicemia, including meningococcal sepsis.
Shock: Shock may accompany severe infections and sepsis.