INTERMITTENT FEVER Meaning and
Definition
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Intermittent fever is a medical term used to describe a type of fever that is characterized by episodes of elevated body temperature that alternate with periods of normal body temperature. This condition is commonly found in individuals with certain infections or diseases, particularly those caused by the malaria parasite.
During intermittent fever, the body temperature rises above the normal range, typically reaching its peak during the fever episode. This fever can last for a few hours or several days, varying from person to person. Following the fever episode, the body temperature gradually returns to normal, and the individual may experience a period of no fever.
The pattern of intermittent fever is often cyclical, with fever episodes recurring at regular intervals. These intervals may be daily, every other day, or every few days, depending on the specific infectious agent or underlying condition causing the fever.
The cause of intermittent fever is most commonly attributed to the release of inflammatory substances in the body in response to an infection or disease. In the case of malaria, for instance, the fever episodes coincide with the release of malarial parasites from infected red blood cells. Other infections, such as bacterial or viral infections, and certain inflammatory conditions can also lead to intermittent fever.
The diagnosis of intermittent fever involves evaluating the pattern and characteristics of the fever episodes, as well as conducting appropriate laboratory tests to identify the underlying cause. Treatment typically focuses on addressing and managing the underlying infection or condition to eliminate the fever episodes and promote recovery.
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A malarial fever, usually of the tertian or quartan type, in which there is complete apyrexia, with absence of the other symptoms, in the intervals between the paroxysms.
A practical medical dictionary. By Stedman, Thomas Lathrop. Published 1920.
Common Misspellings for INTERMITTENT FEVER
- untermittent fever
- jntermittent fever
- kntermittent fever
- ontermittent fever
- 9ntermittent fever
- 8ntermittent fever
- ibtermittent fever
- imtermittent fever
- ijtermittent fever
- ihtermittent fever
- inrermittent fever
- infermittent fever
- ingermittent fever
- inyermittent fever
- in6ermittent fever
- in5ermittent fever
- intwrmittent fever
- intsrmittent fever
- intdrmittent fever
- intrrmittent fever
Etymology of INTERMITTENT FEVER
The word "intermittent" originated from the Latin word "intermittens", which is the present participle form of the verb "intermittere". "Intermittere" is a combination of the prefix "inter-" meaning "between" or "among", and the verb "mittere" meaning "to let go" or "to send". Thus, "intermittere" can be understood as "to send or let go between or among", conveying the sense of something being sporadic or occurring at intervals.
The word "fever" derives from the Latin word "febris", which can be traced back to the Proto-Indo-European root "*dhegwh-" meaning "to burn" or "burning". This root is also seen in words like "hot" and "ignite".
