infectious diseases
Fever
Geriatrics Essentials: Fever
In frail older adults, infection is less likely to cause fever, and even when elevated by infection, temperature may be lower than the standard definition of fever. Similarly, other inflammatory symptoms, such as focal pain, may be less prominent. Frequently, alteration of mental status or decline in daily functioning may be the only other initial manifestations of Overview of Pneumonia or In spite of their less severe manifestations of illness, febrile older adults are significantly more likely to have a serious bacterial illness than are febrile younger adults. As in younger adults, the cause is commonly a respiratory infection or urinary tract infection, but, in older adults, skin and soft-tissue infections are among the top causes. Older adults with respiratory virus infections such as Influenza , Focal findings are evaluated as for younger patients. But unlike younger patients, older patients probably require urinalysis, urine culture, and chest x-ray. Blood cultures should be done to exclude Bacteremia ; if bacteremia is suspected or vital signs are abnormal, patients should be admitted to the hospital. 