Acute fever is a condition of the body when its temperature rises suddenly above the set point of the normal body temperature. It is also known as acute febrile illness. The normal temperatures can be measured from various parts of the body and each has a separate dataset i.e. rectum temperature should be between 99.5 to 100.9 Fahrenheit, the oral temperature should be about 99.9 Fahrenheit or the temperature in the armpits and ear should be around 99 Fahrenheit.
Usual body temperature is 370C or 98.60F and it can vary slightly from person to person. It may fluctuate depending on the time of the day. Oral, rectal and axillary thermometer can be used to check the temperature.
Age Group Affected
Acute fever is mostly seen in children, infants and aged population when their immunity is weak. The immunity in children is at a growing stage and hence throughout the teenage and adult stage of life, the body is well-guarded against the most probable causes of acute fever. Even then, with the increase in pollution and population of harmful microbes and viruses in our surroundings all the age groups are equally vulnerable to suffering from acute fever.
The Degree Of Acute Fever
The degree of acute fever can be mild, moderate or severe and depends on the cause of the fever. The factors may include the portion of the body that is infected and also the extent of the infection. It is also quite obvious that the earlier the condition is treated the lesser the patient will have to suffer. Although acute fever of any form is usually controllable, certain extreme conditions such as fever due to sepsis can turn-out to be life-threatening and requires immediate medical professional attention.
Causes
Acute fever varies greatly depending upon the cause and the region infected. The regions of the body that usually act as the host of the infection that leads to the rise in the body temperature are