FEVER

Fever Age <1 month* Rule out sepsis: CSF, blood and urine cultures Always consider and treat for bacterial sepsis, until proven otherwise Age >3 months Clinical features and investigations suggestive of infection Often acute onset → Infectious Bacterial Pneumonia* Otitis Media* Urinary Tract Infection* Occult bacteremia/sepsis* Meningitis*/Meningococcemia* Skin and soft tissue infections (Osteomyelitis*, septic arthritis*) Bacterial respiratory tract infections (Pharyngitis, pertussis*, tracheitis*, peritonsillar abscess*, retropharyngeal abscess/cellulitis*, cervical adenitis*) Viral Respiratory viruses (e.g., Influenza, RSV, rhinovirus, enterovirus, adenovirus, etc.) Mononucleosis* Gastroenteritis* Other Extremely rare. Seen mostly in immunodeficiency, or occasionally acquired while travelling Fungal Protozoa (e.g., malaria) Other parasites Clinical features and investigations not suggestive of infection Often fever >5 days → Non-infectious Malignancy Leukemia* Lymphoma* Neuroblastoma* Brain tumor* Bone tumor* Autoimmune/Inflammatory Kawasaki disease* Inflammatory Bowel Disease* Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis Other Acute abdomen* (e.g., appendicitis*) *Indicates Key Condition This is not an exhaustive list of medical conditions.