biology of infectious disease
infections
Fever in Adults
Fever can be tricky in older people because the body may not respond the way it would in younger people. For example, in frail older people, infection is less likely to cause fever. Even when elevated by infection, the temperature may be lower than the standard definition of fever, and the degree of fever may not correspond to the severity of the illness. Similarly, other symptoms, such as pain, may be less noticeable. Frequently, a change in mental function or a decline in daily functioning is the only other initial sign of Hospital-Acquired Pneumonia or a However, older people with a fever are more likely to have a serious bacterial infection than are younger adults with a fever. As in younger adults, the cause is commonly a respiratory or urinary tract infection. Skin and soft-tissue infections are also common causes in older people. Older people are more likely to have serious manifestations of respiratory viral infections such as Influenza (Flu) , Diagnosis of fever in older people is similar to that for younger adults, except that for older people, doctors usually recommend urine tests (including culture) and a chest x-ray. Samples of blood are cultured to rule out a blood infection ( Bacteremia ). 