Evaluation of fever of unknown origin in adults

Last reviewed: 9 Nov 2024
Last updated: 25 Jun 2024

Summary

Differentials

Common

  • Tuberculosis
  • Abdominal or pelvic abscess
  • HIV
  • Rhinosinusitis, acute or chronic
  • Bacterial pneumonia
  • Urinary tract infection
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 leukemia
  • Hodgkin lymphoma
  • Non-Hodgkin lymphoma
  • Metastatic carcinoma, primary unknown
  • Renal cancer
  • Myelodysplastic syndrome
  • Adult-onset Still disease
  • Polymyalgia rheumatica
  • Giant cell arteritis
  • Systemic lupus erythematosus
  • Crohn disease
  • Ulcerative colitis
  • Rheumatoid arthritis
  • Reactive arthritis
  • Drug-induced fever
  • Cirrhosis, complicated
  • Hepatitis
  • Deep vein thrombosis
  • Sarcoidosis
  • Periodic fever syndromes
  • Malaria
  • Typhoid fever
  • Rocky Mountain spotted fever
  • Ascariasis
  • Tularemia
  • Brucellosis
  • Psittacosis
  • Q fever
  • Pheochromocytoma
  • Hyperthyroidism
  • Munchausen syndrome
  • Dengue fever
Full details

Contributors

Authors

William F. Wright, DO, MPH

Assistant Professor

Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine

Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine

Baltimore

MD

Disclosures

WFW declares that he has no competing interests. WFW is an author of references cited in this topic.

Paul G. Auwaerter​,, MD

Professor

Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine

The Sherrilyn and Ken Fisher Center for Environmental Infectious Diseases

Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine

Baltimore

MD

Disclosures

PGA declares that he has no competing interests. PGA is an author of references cited in this topic.

Acknowledgements

Dr William F. Wright and Dr Paul G. Auwaerter would like to gratefully acknowledge Dr Roth and Dr Basello, previous contributors to this topic.

Peer reviewers

Kevin P. High, MD, MS, MACP, FIDSA

Professor of Medicine

Wake Forest University School of Medicine

Vice Chief Academic Officer, aLHS, Advocate Health

Winston-Salem

NC

Disclosures

KPH declares that he has no competing interests.

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