Fever of unknown origin: historical and physical clues to making the diagnosis.

Department of Infectious Diseases, St. Michael's Medical Center, 111 Central Avenue, Newark, NJ 07104, USA. sachitatolia@hotmail.com

Fever of unknown origin (FUO) has fascinated and perplexed clinicians for over a century. No published guidelines exist on the approach to FUO, and studies have demonstrated that a diagnosis is never established in up to 30% of cases. A comprehensive history and physical examination are the keys to establishing a diagnosis in patient with FUO. This article provides a systematic approach to the diagnosis of FUO by delineating the most important elements of a comprehensive history and physical examination.

PMID: 18061082 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]