Open AccessFever in the returned traveller
Author(s) -
Mark Melzer,
Geoffrey Pasvol
Publication year - 2002
Publication title -
acute medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.14
H-Index - 12
eISSN - 1747-4892
pISSN - 1747-4884
DOI - 10.52964/amja.0005
Subject(s) - medicine , malaria , isolation (microbiology) , intensive care medicine , limiting , infectious disease (medical specialty) , disease , communicable disease , incubation period , blood culture , blood smear , immunology , public health , pathology , antibiotics , bioinformatics , incubation , mechanical engineering , biochemistry , chemistry , microbiology and biotechnology , engineering , biology
The diagnosis of fever in the returned traveller is an important challenge to the physician. An accurate travel history and knowledge of the incubation period of common diseases is required to assess the risk of infection with a specific infectious agent. Although many febrile illnesses are benign and self-limiting, failure to diagnose malaria and enteric fevers may have disastrous consequences. All patients returning with fever should have thick and thin blood films for malaria and blood cultures performed. Other haematological and biochemical tests are useful in identifying a group of patients in whom empirical anti-microbial therapy is indicated. Thought must be given to the isolation of patients and notification of certain suspected or proven diseases to the local Consultant for Communicable Disease Control. Preventative measures in those likely to travel again should be discussed.