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Fever in Adults (cont.)

Next Steps

Follow-up

Most fevers will go away in a few days with the appropriate treatment. Follow up with the physician to be sure the cause of the fever is treated correctly. This may be done in a few days to weeks after the initial visit, depending on the cause.

If symptoms worsen, if the fever continues for more than 3 days despite treatment, or if the fever lasts longer then a week without treatment, see the doctor immediately.



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Fever of Unknown Origin »

Fever of unknown origin (FUO) was defined in 1961 by Petersdorf and Beeson as the following: (1) a temperature greater than 38.3°C (101°F) on several occasions, (2) more than 3 weeks' duration of illness, and (3) failure to reach a diagnosis despite one week of inpatient investigation.

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