26 Where There Is No Doctor 2011
CONFUSION BETWEEN DIFFERENT ILLNESSES
THAT CAUSE FEVER
Spanish Name: LA FIEBRE (THE FEVER) Name in Your Area:
Correctly speaking, a fever is a body
temperature higher than normal. But in Latin
America, a number of serious illnesses that cause
high temperatures are all called la fiebre—or ‘the
fever’.
To prevent or treat these diseases successfully, it
is important to know how to tell one from another.
Here are some of the important acute illnesses in which fever is an outstanding sign.
The drawings show the fever pattern (rise and fall of temperature) that is typical for
each disease.
Malaria: (see p. 186)
Begins with weakness, chills and
fever. Fever may come and go for
a few days, with shivering (chills)
as the temperature rises, and
sweating as it falls. Then, fever may
come for a few hours every second
or third day. On other days, the
person may feel more or less well.
MALARIA — TYPICAL The solid line shows the rise
FEVER PATTERN
and fall of temperature.
Days of Illness
Typhoid: (see p. 188)
Begins like a cold. Temperature
goes up a little more each day.
Pulse relatively slow. Sometimes
diarrhea and dehydration.
Trembling or delirium (mind
wanders). Person very ill.
TYPHOID —
TYPICAL FEVER PATTERN
The fever goes up
a little each day.
Typhus: (see p. 190)
Similar to typhoid. Rash similar to
that of measles, with tiny bruises.
Days of Illness
Hepatitis: (see p. 172)
Person loses appetite. Does not
wish to eat or smoke. Wants to
vomit (nausea). Eyes and skin
turn yellow; urine orange or
brown; stools whitish. Sometimes
liver becomes large, tender. Mild
fever. Person very weak.
HEPATITIS—
TYPICAL FEVER PATTERN
Usually the fever
is mild.
Days of Illness