Prolonged fever — which specialty
Fever lasting more than a week with no clear cause.
Usually seen by
Infectious diseasesGeneral internal medicine
Other directions, depending on what comes with it:
- Haematology — with enlarged nodes or easy bruising
- Rheumatology — with pain in several joints and a rash
Not sure you have picked the right one? Start with general internal medicine — routing you to the right place is their job, not yours.
Go now, without waiting for an appointment, if any of these apply
- Fever with a stiff neck and severe headache
- Fever with drowsiness or confusion
- Fever with breathlessness or chest pain
- Fever with a purple non-blanching rash
- Fever in someone on chemotherapy or immunosuppressive treatment — go now, do not wait
This list is not exhaustive and does not replace judgement on the spot. If something is clearly wrong and you are unsure, call your local emergency number or go to the nearest facility — waiting in order to be certain is the most dangerous way to spend the time.
What you will be asked — have the answers ready
- How high, measured with what, and where on the body
- What time of day, and whether there are shivering episodes
- Where you have been, who you have been near who was ill, and any insect bites
- Whether there are enlarged nodes, a rash, or joint pain
- Which antibiotics you have already taken
A first appointment is short. Having these answers ready is the cheapest way to avoid a second visit that exists only to supply information.
Bring with you
- An hour-by-hour temperature chart over several days — the single most valuable thing to bring
- A month of travel history
- The name of every medicine taken
What a first visit usually involves
- A very detailed history — in fever of unknown origin the history decides the most
- Blood tests, urine tests, blood cultures
- Imaging along the suspected line