Viral fever is an elevated body temperature brought on by a virus. A person will frequently experience viral fever symptoms like a runny nose, coughing, nausea, exhaustion, and body aches.
Although not everyone with a virus has a fever, a fever can be an indication that the body is attempting to fight off the infection.
With time and supportive therapies like cold compresses and over-the-counter (OTC) medicines, the majority of viral illnesses will get better. A body temperature that is too high, however, might necessitate medical attention.
Symptoms
The body’s natural response to contact with bacteria and viruses that cause disease is a fever. The pathogens’ proteins can be destroyed by the body’s increased temperature, which prevents them from continuing to spread. Fever is also the body’s inflammatory response to the illness.
Age and the source of the temperature reading affect a person’s diagnosis of a fever.
People who have a fever will typically exhibit the following symptoms:
- Oral: The temperature is higher than 100°F (37.8°C).
- Under the armpit: The temperature is higher than 99°F (37.2°C)
- Rectal, ear, or forehead: The temperature is higher than 100.4°F (38.0°C).
Adults’ understandings of fever can differ. However, many medical professionals will diagnose a fever if the body temperature measured with an oral thermometer is greater than 100°F (37.8°C).
Viral fever can leave one feeling worn out, agitated, and achy. Depending on the virus that is causing the underlying illness, additional symptoms may change. For instance, the roseola virus in children causes a fever that lasts for two to three days, followed by a rash that appears 12 to 24 hours after the fever has subsided.
Causes
Viral illnesses can have a variety of causes, including cold and flu viruses. Sometimes a viral illness is followed by a bacterial one. Due to this, it may be challenging to distinguish between the two and decide whether or not a patient would benefit from taking antibiotics.
In young children, fevers without any other apparent underlying illness can be particularly common. A study of 75 kids with fever but no other symptoms of bacterial infection found that 76 percent of them had at least one virus in their system.
Adenovirus, human herpesvirus 6, enterovirus, and parechovirus were the most prevalent viruses found. Less than 1% of fever-related illnesses in children under 3 with no apparent clear source, according to the study, were caused by bacterial infections.
This indicates that among young children, viruses are a particularly frequent cause of fevers. It’s crucial to keep this in mind because treating viral infections with antibiotics is ineffective.
Prevention
By sneezing, breathing, touching objects or people, or being infected, a person can spread a viral infection. Regular hand washing and surface disinfection are habits that can help ward off these diseases.
Diagnosis
When determining whether a patient has a viral fever, a doctor will inquire about their medical history and ask about their symptoms. Examples of these queries include when the symptoms were first noticed and what makes them worse or better.
Testing for the presence of viruses in blood, sputum, or urine may be prescribed by a physician.
Know more about viral fever
Get in touch with a Bajaj Finserv Health App Doctor for more details on viral fever symptoms.
