Hectic, or exhausting, fever (febrishectica).

Daily fluctuations are very noticeable (3-5⁰C) with the decrease to normal or subnormal temperatures. Such fluctuations can repeat several times during the say. Hectic fever is typical for sepsis, abscess, empyemas (e.g., in lungs and other organs), miliary tuberculosis.

4. Intermittent fever (febrisintermittens).

Body temperature raises fast to 39-40⁰C and in several hours (i.e. quickly) decreases to normal. After a day or three days the increase of temperature repeats. So, a more or less proper change of high and normal temperatures occurs during several days. This type of temperature curve is characteristic for malaria and so-called Mediterranean fever (periodic abdominalgia).

5. Recurrent fever (febrisrecurrens).

Stages of fever

There are three stages of developing fever:

· The stage of body temperature increase (stadium incrementi): the processes of heat production predominate (because of the decrease of perspiration and constriction of skin vessels heat emission decreases). During this period the patient has chills, headache, pains in joints and muscles; limbs may turn pale or bluish.

· The stage of constantly high body temperature (temperaturepeak, stadium fastigii): relatively constant high body temperature is characteristical (heat production and heat emission processes are balanced). The patient suffers from fever, headache, dry mouth, anxiety; possible blackening of consciousness. Frequently there can be increased respiratory rate (tachypnea), increased heart beating (tachycardia) and decreased arterial blood pressure (arterial hypotension).

· The stage of body temperature decrease (stadium decrementi): when the temperature decreases heat emission processes predominate. Depending on the character of the decrease there can be lysis – slow decrease of temperatureduring several days, and crisis – rapid decrease of body temperature during 5-8 hours. Crisis is fraught with vasogenic shock.