Emergency department evaluation of the febrile traveler.
The emergency department evaluation of the febrile traveler presents the emergency physician with a set of unique and often challenging circumstances. In addition to evaluating and managing the usual array of community-acquired infections, the clinician must be prepared to diagnose and treat a host of uncommon and potentially life-threatening pathogens. This diseases range from widespread tropical diseases such as malaria to the more exotic and lethal viral hemorrhagic fevers. A thoughtful approach guided by geographic patterns of illness offers a reliable method for determining the most likely sources of fever in the returned traveler as well as a focused diagnostic and treatment strategy.
Pigott
David C
DC
Department of Emergency Medicine, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, 619 S. 19th St., JTN 266, Birmingham, AL 35249-7013, USA. dpigott@uabmc.edu
D003141:Communicable Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy*; D004632:Emergency Medical Services; D005334:Fever / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D018570:Risk Assessment / Q000379:methods; D014195:Travel