Fever in children returning from abroad

Abstract 

Imported infections often present with fever, but surprisingly few clinical studies have examined the patterns of imported diseases in adults or in children. A full travel history, together with clues from symptoms and signs, usually enables a working diagnosis to be made. The key priority is to detect and treat malaria, and to perform the appropriate investigations to confirm clinical suspicion of other treatable illness. This review concentrates on the clinical and epidemiological approaches to diagnosis and general management of children who have returned from abroad with fever. Public health measures to protect contacts, and education to prevent the acquisition of illness during travel abroad, are also important.

Keywords: fever, imported, in children, traveller, malaria, epidemiology, investigations

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• f1 Correspondence to: NJB. Tel.:+44 151 706 3835; Fax: +44 151 706 5944. E-mail: nicholas.beeching@rlbuh-tr.nwest.nhs.uk