Fever pathophysiologyDownloads

A 6-year-old boy is presented to a pediatric clinic by his mother with complaints of fever, malaise, and cough for the past 2 days. He frequently complains of a sore throat and has difficulty eating solid foods. The mother mentions that, initially, the boy’s fever was low-grade and intermittent but later became high grade and continuous. The boy was born at 39 weeks gestation via spontaneous vaginal delivery. He is up to date on all vaccines and is meeting all developmental milestones. The past medical history is noncontributory. The boy takes a multivitamin every day. The mother reports that he does well in school and is helpful around the house. The boy’s vital signs include blood pressure 110/65 mm Hg, heart rate 110/min, respiratory rate 32/min, and temperature 38.3°C (101.0°F). On physical examination, the boy appears uncomfortable and has difficulty breathing. His heart is mildly tachycardic with a regular rhythm and his lungs are clear to auscultation bilaterally. Oropharyngeal examination shows that his palatine tonsils are covered with pus and that there is erythema of the surrounding mucosa. Which of the following mediators is responsible for this patient’s elevated temperature?

A 55-year-old woman with diabetes presents to the emergency department due to swelling of her left leg, fever, and chills for the past 2 days. The woman’s maximum recorded temperature at home was 38.3°C (101.0°F). Her left leg is red and swollen from her ankle to the calf, with an ill-defined edge. Her vital signs include: blood pressure 120/78 mm Hg, pulse rate 94/min, temperature 38.3°C (101.0°F), and respiratory rate 16/min. On physical examination, her left leg shows marked tenderness and warmth compared with her right leg. The left inguinal lymph node is enlarged to 3 x 3 cm. Which of the following chemical mediators is the most likely cause of the woman’s fever?