Most patients with an infectious disease will have ________.

Most patients with an infectious disease will have ________.

• A. Seizures
• B. Fever
• C. Abdominal pain
• D. Low blood glucose

Answer: (B)

Fever is a common response to infection. When pathogens invade, immune cells release pyrogens that signal the brain to raise the body's temperature set point through prostaglandin E2. This higher temperature helps slow pathogen growth and enhances immune function, so fever shows up in many infectious diseases. Other options—seizures, abdominal pain, or low blood glucose—do occur in some situations, but they are not typical, universal signs of infection. It’s also important to remember that not every infection presents with fever, especially in the very young, elderly, or immunocompromised, but fever remains the most common general sign you’d expect.

Fever is a common response to infection. When pathogens invade, immune cells release pyrogens that signal the brain to raise the body's temperature set point through prostaglandin E2. This higher temperature helps slow pathogen growth and enhances immune function, so fever shows up in many infectious diseases. Other options—seizures, abdominal pain, or low blood glucose—do occur in some situations, but they are not typical, universal signs of infection. It’s also important to remember that not every infection presents with fever, especially in the very young, elderly, or immunocompromised, but fever remains the most common general sign you’d expect.