title: Fever in immunocompromised hosts.
abstract: Fever is one of the most common reasons for the emergency department presentation of immunocompromised patients. Their differential diagnosis can be broad and includes rare or unexpected pathogens. Certain infectious causes of fever portend true emergencies; if they are not managed appropriately, rapid progression and death may ensue. This article reviews the diagnosis and management of fevers in patients immunocompromised by human immunodeficiency virus/AIDS, solid-organ and hematopoietic transplants, chemotherapy-induced neutropenia, and tumor necrosis factor-α inhibitors. Prompt recognition of the type of immunosuppression and delineation of possible causes of fever are critical for management of these complex patients.
authors.affiliation: Division of Infectious Disease, Department of Medicine, Institute of Human Virology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, 725 West Lombard Street, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA. Electronic address: dpatel@ihv.umaryland.edu.
authors.forename: Devang M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Patel
authors.forename: David J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Riedel
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital; D005334:Fever / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D016867:Immunocompromised Host
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents
keywords: AIDS; Emergency department; Fever; HIV; Hematopoietic stem cell transplant; Neutropenic fever; Solid-organ transplant; Tumor necrosis factor-α inhibitors