Fever
A raise in body temperature above the normal, i.e. above an oral temperature of 98.6F (37C) or a rectal temperature of 99F (37.2C). Fever is generally accompanied by shivering, headache, nausea, constipation or diarrhoea.
A rise in temperature above 105F (40.5C) may cause dilirium and, in young children convulsions too.
Fevers are usually caused by bacterial or viral infections and can accompany any infectious illness from the common cold to maleria.
An intermittent fever is a periodic rise and fall in body temperature, often returning to normal during the day and reaching its peak at night, as in maleria.
A remittent fever is one in which the body temperature fluctuates but does not return to normal.
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