Assessment of fever of unknown origin in adults

Last reviewed: 6 May 2023
Last updated: 12 Apr 2023

Summary

Differentials

Common

  • Tuberculosis
  • Abdominal or pelvic abscess
  • HIV
  • Sinusitis, acute or chronic
Full details

Uncommon

  • Infective endocarditis
  • Dental abscesses
  • Osteomyelitis
  • Prostatitis, acute or chronic
  • Cytomegalovirus infection
  • Epstein-Barr virus infection
  • Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)
  • Rheumatic fever
  • Lyme disease
  • Chronic myeloid leukaemia
  • Hodgkin's lymphoma
  • Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma
  • Metastatic carcinoma, primary unknown
  • Renal cancer
  • Colorectal cancer
  • Pancreatic cancer
  • Hepatocellular carcinoma
  • Myelodysplastic syndrome
  • Adult-onset Still's disease
  • Polymyalgia rheumatica
  • Giant cell arteritis
  • Systemic lupus erythematosus
  • Crohn's disease
  • Ulcerative colitis
  • Rheumatoid arthritis
  • Reactive arthritis
  • Drug-induced fever
  • Cirrhosis, complicated
  • Hepatitis
  • Deep vein thrombosis
  • Sarcoidosis
  • Familial Mediterranean fever
  • Malaria
  • Typhoid fever
  • Rocky Mountain spotted fever
  • Ascariasis
  • Tularaemia
  • Brucellosis
  • Psittacosis
  • Q fever
  • Phaeochromocytoma
  • Hyperthyroidism
  • Munchausen syndrome
  • Dengue fever
Full details

Contributors

Authors

Alan R. Roth, DO, FAAFP

Chairman

Jamaica Hospital Medical Center

Albert Einstein College of Medicine

Family Medicine Residency Program Jamaica

New York

NY

Disclosures

ARR is an author of a reference cited in this topic.

Gina M. Basello, DO

Program Director

Jamaica Hospital Medical Center

Albert Einstein College of Medicine

Family Medicine Residency Program Jamaica

New York

NY

Disclosures

GMB is an author of a reference cited in this topic.

Peer reviewers

Sheldon Morris, MD

Assistant Clinical Professor

Department of Medicine

UCSD

AVRC

San Diego

CA

Disclosures

SM declares that he has no competing interests.

Brian Pearlman, MD

Assistant Clinical Professor

Department of Internal Medicine

Atlanta Medical Center

Atlanta

GA

Disclosures

BP declares that he has no competing interests.

A. Sahib El-Radhi, MRCPCH, FRCPCH, DCH, PhD

Consultant Paediatrician

Honorary Senior Lecturer

Chelsfield Park Hospital

Chelsfield

Orpington

UK

Disclosures

ASER declares that he has no competing interests.

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