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Fever and Rash: When Should You Worry?
Published: Jan 18, 2024
Fever and rash together can signal anything from a mild infection to a life-threatening emergency. Understanding when to seek medical care is crucial for your health and safety.
Common Causes of Fever and Rash
Many infections can cause both fever and rash. In children, these often include viral illnesses like measles, chickenpox, and roseola. Adults may experience rashes with mononucleosis or certain tick-borne diseases. Some bacterial infections, like scarlet fever, can also produce fever and rash in both children and adults.
Red Flag Symptoms
Certain symptoms alongside fever and rash warrant immediate medical attention. These include difficulty breathing, severe headache, stiff neck, confusion, or a rash that looks like bruising and doesn't blanch when pressed. These could indicate serious conditions like meningitis or sepsis.
When to See a Doctor
You should seek medical care if your fever is high (over 103°F or 39.4°C), lasts more than 3 days, or is accompanied by severe pain. Additionally, if the rash is widespread, painful, or blistering, it's best to get checked out. Any signs of infection, like pus or increasing redness and swelling, also require medical evaluation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Allergies rarely cause fever, so this combination usually indicates infection.
Rashes that spread quickly, blister, or don't blanch when pressed may be serious.
Not always, but many infectious causes are, so it's best to avoid close contact.
Key Takeaways
While many cases of fever and rash are harmless, some can be serious, so it's important to know when to seek medical help.
References
- Levin S, Goodman LJ. An approach to acute fever and rash (AFR) in the adult. In: Current Clinical Topics in Infectious Diseases, Remington JS, Swartz MN (Eds), Blackwell Science, Boston 1995. p.19.
- Weber DJ, Cohen MS, Rutala WA. The acutely ill patient with fever and rash. In: Principles and Practices of Infectious Diseases, 8th ed, Bennett JE, Dolin R, Blaser MJ (Eds), Elsevier Saunders, Philadelphia 2015. p.732.
- Cherry JD. Contemporary infectious exanthems. Clin Infect Dis 1993; 16:199.
This article has been reviewed for accuracy by one of the licensed medical doctors working for Doctronic. Always discuss health information with your healthcare provider.
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