title: [Differential diagnosis in fever of unknown origin].
abstract: Fever is one of the most frequent and important symptoms in pediatrics. Most cases are caused by self-limiting viral or easily treatable bacterial infections. If after 5-7 days no cause of the ongoing fever has been found, the condition is termed fever of unknown origin, a working diagnosis which often poses a diagnostic challenge. The ultimate cause may be an infectious disease, a chronic inflammatory disorder, a malignancy, or another rare disease. The cause may also remain obscure or the fever can finally disappear. Here we elaborate the diagnostic work-up and symptomatic treatment.
authors.affiliation: Professor-Hess-Kinderklinik, Klinikum Bremen-Mitte, Sankt-Jürgen-Strasse 1, 28205 Bremen. huppertz.bremen@t-online.de
authors.forename: H-I
authors.initials: HI
authors.lastname: Huppertz
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis; D002648:Child; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005335:Fever of Unknown Origin / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D007239:Infections / Q000175:diagnosis; D007249:Inflammation / Q000175:diagnosis; D008659:Metabolic Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis; D012008:Recurrence