Monsoon fever can be deceptive

In the current season any episode of fever should not be taken lightly as many diseases can cause fever, the commonest being viral, malaria, dengue or Chikungunya. However, fever can also be due to viral jaundice or typhoid.

Following tips were released for the benefit of the public:

Unless you suspect typhoid, no antibiotics are required.

Viral fever will have cough, redness of the eyes or nasal discharge.

Dengue will have fever with rash and pain in eye movement.

Chikungunya is a triad of fever, rash and joint pain. Typically the joint pain will increase on compression of the wrist joint.

Typically, the fever in malaria comes with chills and rigors and will have normal phase in between two episodes of fever.

Fever in jaundice disappears once the jaundice starts.

Typhoid fever is often continuous with relatively low pulse rate and with toxic feeling.

Precautions

No antibiotics are required unless there is a feeling of toxemia.

Antibiotics in sore throat are only required if associated with pain in the throat while swallowing food or red angry-looking tonsils.

Except for paracetamol or nimesulide, other anti fever medicines should not be used indiscriminately as they can reduce platelet count.

Most diseases are self-limiting and take 4 to 7 days to resolve.

The basic precaution involves proper hydration, especially on the days when fever is subsiding.

Warning signals

Any fever with associated comorbid conditions should not be ignored and consultation should be taken from the doctors.