Developer site: The content shown here is test data.

MyEClinic
MyEClinic
Health Dictionary AI Health Chat Find an Online Doctor
A serene Zen garden with raked sand and smooth stones, symbolising clarity and calm

Health Dictionary

Reliable, easy-to-read patient information on common medical conditions β€” written in plain language, free of jargon, and grounded in current evidence. Browse the most frequent diagnoses, understand what they mean for everyday life, and learn which steps and questions help you have a focused conversation with your doctor.

Back to skin conditions

Cough and fever

Introduction

Cough and Fever differential diagnosis

Cough and Fever differential diagnosis

Organ system Diseases Clinical manifestations Diagnosis Other features
Symptoms Physical exam
Onset Duration Productive cough Hemoptysis Weight lost Fever Dyspnea Ascultation Lab findings Imaging PFT Gold standard
Respiratory Upper airway diseases Epiglottitis[1][2] Abrupt or acute
  • 12βˆ’24 hours
 βˆ’ βˆ’ βˆ’ + +
  • Elevated white blood count in CBC
  • Blood culture may show bacterial growth
  • Epiglottal culture in intubated patients may show bacterial growth
  • Normal function
Croup[3] Acute
  • 3βˆ’5 days
 + βˆ’ βˆ’ + +
  • Clinical diagnosis.
  • Laboratory findings and imaging are not necessary for diagnosis
Pertussis[4]_Whooping_Cough_|_Clinical_|_Information_|_CDC-5|[5] Acute
  • Two weeks
 + Whooping sound βˆ’ + + +
  • Clear chest
  • Normal function
  • Culture
Common Cold[6] Acute
  • 3βˆ’10 days
 + βˆ’ βˆ’ + βˆ’
  • Bacterial culture is not indicated
  • Normal function
  • Clinical diagnosis
Seasonal Influenza [7] Acute
  • 5βˆ’10 days
 βˆ’ βˆ’ βˆ’ + +
  • Normal function
  • Clinical diagnosis
Rhinosinusitis[8][9] Acute, subacute, chronic, recurrent
  • Acute: Less than 4 weeks
  • Subacute: 4βˆ’12 weeks
  • Chronic: More than 12 weeks
  • Recurrent: 4 or more episodes or acute rhinosinusitis per year
 + βˆ’ βˆ’ + +
  • Clear chest
  • Airβˆ’fluid level, mucosal edema and bony erosion of sinus on CT
  • MRI for distinguish the etiology
  • Normal function
Organ system Diseases Clinical manifestations Diagnosis Other features
Symptoms Physical exam
Onset Duration Productive cough Hemoptysis Weight lost Fever Dyspnea Ascultation Lab findings Imaging PFT Gold standard
Respiratory Lower airway Acute Bronchitis[10] Acute
  • From 5 days to 1 or 3 weeks
 + βˆ’ βˆ’ +/βˆ’ +
  • FEV1 < 80%
  • Clinical diagnosis
Chronic Bronchitis[11][12] Chronic
  • Most of the days for three months in the las two years.
 + Clear sputum βˆ’ βˆ’ + +
Emphysema [13] Chronic
  • Months to years
 + Mucoid or purulent sputum βˆ’ βˆ’ + +
  • Exposure of tobacco and air pollution
Foreing body aspiration[14][15][16] Acute
  • Variable
 + + βˆ’ + +
  • No specific tests
  • Not specific
  • In children <1 year and adults >75 years
  • Organic materials in children
  • Inorganic materials in adults
Bronchiolitis[17][18] Acute
  • 8βˆ’15 days
 + βˆ’ βˆ’ + +
  • Clinical diagnosis
Organ system Diseases Clinical manifestations Diagnosis Other features
Symptoms Physical exam
Onset Duration Productive cough Hemoptysis Weight lost Fever Dyspnea Ascultation Lab findings Imaging PFT Gold standard
Respiratory Parenchyma Pneumonia[19][20] Acute
  • Variable
 + Mucopurulent sputum βˆ’ βˆ’ + +
  • Not specific
Pneumoconioses[21][22] Acute, Chronic
  • Years
 βˆ’ βˆ’ + + +
Lung cancer[23][24] Chronic
  • Years
 + + + +/βˆ’ + The following investigations may be helpful:
  • Not specific
Tuberculosis (TB)[25][26] Chronic
  • More than 2 or 3 weeks
 + + + + +
Cystic fibrosis (CF)[27][28] Chronic
  • Variable
 + βˆ’ + +/βˆ’ +
  • Evidence of CFTR dysfunction
Organ system Diseases Clinical manifestations Diagnosis Other features
Symptoms Physical exam
Onset Duration Productive cough Hemoptysis Weight lost Fever Dyspnea Ascultation Lab findings Imaging PFT Gold standard
Autoimmune Wegener’s disease (GPA) [29][30] Chronic
  • Months
 + + + + + The following investigations may be helpful:
Sarcoidosis[31][32] Chronic
  • Years
 βˆ’ βˆ’ + + + The following investigations may be helpful:
Microscopic polyangitis (MPA)[33] Chronic
  • Variable
 + + + + + The following investigations may be helpful:
Churgβˆ’Strauss[34][35] Chronic
  • Variable
 + + + + +
  • Infiltrates in chest Xβˆ’Ray
  • Ground glass opacities, treeβˆ’inβˆ’bud sign and small nodules in chest CT
References

References

  1. ↑ Stroud RH, Friedman NR (2001). “An update on inflammatory disorders of the pediatric airway: epiglottitis, croup, and tracheitis”. Am J Otolaryngol. 22 (4): 268–75. doi:10.1053/ajot.2001.24825. PMIDΒ 11464324.
  2. ↑ Solomon P, Weisbrod M, Irish JC, Gullane PJ (1998). “Adult epiglottitis: the Toronto Hospital experience”. J Otolaryngol. 27 (6): 332–6. PMIDΒ 9857318.
  3. ↑ Cherry, James D. (2008). “Croup”. New England Journal of Medicine. 358 (4): 384–391. doi:10.1056/NEJMcp072022. ISSNΒ 0028-4793.
  4. ↑ Bellamy EA, Johnston ID, Wilson AG (1987). “The chest radiograph in whooping cough”. Clin Radiol. 38 (1): 39–43. PMIDΒ 3816065.
  5. _Whooping_Cough_|_Clinical_|_Information_|_CDC_5-0|↑ “Pertussis | Whooping Cough | Clinical | Information | CDC”.
  6. ↑ Eccles R (2005). “Understanding the symptoms of the common cold and influenza”. Lancet Infect Dis. 5 (11): 718–25. doi:10.1016/S1473-3099(05)70270-X. PMIDΒ 16253889.
  7. ↑ Kim EA, Lee KS, Primack SL, Yoon HK, Byun HS, Kim TS, Suh GY, Kwon OJ, Han J (2002). “Viral pneumonias in adults: radiologic and pathologic findings”. Radiographics. 22 Spec No: S137–49. doi:10.1148/radiographics.22.suppl_1.g02oc15s137. PMIDΒ 12376607.
  8. ↑ Meltzer EO, Hamilos DL (2011). “Rhinosinusitis diagnosis and management for the clinician: a synopsis of recent consensus guidelines”. Mayo Clin Proc. 86 (5): 427–43. doi:10.4065/mcp.2010.0392. PMCΒ 3084646. PMIDΒ 21490181.
  9. ↑ Rosenfeld RM, Piccirillo JF, Chandrasekhar SS, Brook I, Ashok Kumar K, Kramper M, Orlandi RR, Palmer JN, Patel ZM, Peters A, Walsh SA, Corrigan MD (2015). “Clinical practice guideline (update): adult sinusitis”. Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 152 (2 Suppl): S1–S39. doi:10.1177/0194599815572097. PMIDΒ 25832968.
  10. ↑ Wenzel RP, Fowler AA (2006). “Clinical practice. Acute bronchitis”. N. Engl. J. Med. 355 (20): 2125–30. doi:10.1056/NEJMcp061493. PMIDΒ 17108344.
  11. ↑ Brusasco V, Martinez F (2014). “Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease”. Compr Physiol. 4 (1): 1–31. doi:10.1002/cphy.c110037. PMIDΒ 24692133.
  12. ↑ Qaseem A, Snow V, Shekelle P, Sherif K, Wilt TJ, Weinberger S, Owens DK (2007). “Diagnosis and management of stable chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: a clinical practice guideline from the American College of Physicians”. Ann. Intern. Med. 147 (9): 633–8. PMIDΒ 17975186.
  13. ↑ Rossi A, Butorac-Petanjek B, Chilosi M, CosΓ­o BG, Flezar M, Koulouris N; et al. (2017). “Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease with mild airflow limitation: current knowledge and proposal for future research – a consensus document from six scientific societies”. Int J Chron Obstruct Pulmon Dis. 12: 2593–2610. doi:10.2147/COPD.S132236. PMCΒ 5587130. PMIDΒ 28919728.
  14. ↑ Hewlett JC, Rickman OB, Lentz RJ, Prakash UB, Maldonado F (2017). “Foreign body aspiration in adult airways: therapeutic approach”. J Thorac Dis. 9 (9): 3398–3409. doi:10.21037/jtd.2017.06.137. PMCΒ 5708401. PMIDΒ 29221325.
  15. ↑ Rafanan AL, Mehta AC (2001). “Adult airway foreign body removal. What’s new?”. Clin. Chest Med. 22 (2): 319–30. PMIDΒ 11444115.
  16. ↑ Haddadi S, Marzban S, Nemati S, Ranjbar Kiakelayeh S, Parvizi A, Heidarzadeh A (2015). “Tracheobronchial Foreign-Bodies in Children; A 7 Year Retrospective Study”. Iran J Otorhinolaryngol. 27 (82): 377–85. PMCΒ 4639691. PMIDΒ 26568942.
  17. ↑ Bordley WC, Viswanathan M, King VJ, Sutton SF, Jackman AM, Sterling L, Lohr KN (2004). “Diagnosis and testing in bronchiolitis: a systematic review”. Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. 158 (2): 119–26. doi:10.1001/archpedi.158.2.119. PMIDΒ 14757603.
  18. ↑ “www.nice.org.uk”.
  19. ↑ Bartlett JG, Dowell SF, Mandell LA, File Jr TM, Musher DM, Fine MJ (2000). “Practice guidelines for the management of community-acquired pneumonia in adults. Infectious Diseases Society of America”. Clin. Infect. Dis. 31 (2): 347–82. doi:10.1086/313954. PMIDΒ 10987697.
  20. ↑ Mandell LA, Wunderink RG, Anzueto A, Bartlett JG, Campbell GD, Dean NC, Dowell SF, File TM, Musher DM, Niederman MS, Torres A, Whitney CG (2007). “Infectious Diseases Society of America/American Thoracic Society consensus guidelines on the management of community-acquired pneumonia in adults”. Clin. Infect. Dis. 44 Suppl 2: S27–72. doi:10.1086/511159. PMIDΒ 17278083.
  21. ↑ Jp NA, Imanaka M, Suganuma N (2017). “Japanese workplace health management in pneumoconiosis prevention”. J Occup Health. 59 (2): 91–103. doi:10.1539/joh.16-0031-RA. PMCΒ 5478517. PMIDΒ 27980247.
  22. ↑ Weiland DA, Lynch DA, Jensen SP, Newell JD, Miller DE, Crausman RS, Kuhn C, Kern DG (2003). “Thin-section CT findings in flock worker’s lung, a work-related interstitial lung disease”. Radiology. 227 (1): 222–31. doi:10.1148/radiol.2271011063. PMIDΒ 12668748.
  23. ↑ Jemal A, Bray F, Center MM, Ferlay J, Ward E, Forman D (2011). “Global cancer statistics”. CA Cancer J Clin. 61 (2): 69–90. doi:10.3322/caac.20107. PMIDΒ 21296855.
  24. ↑ Ost DE, Jim Yeung SC, Tanoue LT, Gould MK (2013). “Clinical and organizational factors in the initial evaluation of patients with lung cancer: Diagnosis and management of lung cancer, 3rd ed: American College of Chest Physicians evidence-based clinical practice guidelines”. Chest. 143 (5 Suppl): e121S–e141S. doi:10.1378/chest.12-2352. PMCΒ 4694609. PMIDΒ 23649435.
  25. ↑ Perlman DC, el-Sadr WM, Nelson ET, Matts JP, Telzak EE, Salomon N, Chirgwin K, Hafner R (1997). “Variation of chest radiographic patterns in pulmonary tuberculosis by degree of human immunodeficiency virus-related immunosuppression. The Terry Beirn Community Programs for Clinical Research on AIDS (CPCRA). The AIDS Clinical Trials Group (ACTG)”. Clin. Infect. Dis. 25 (2): 242–6. PMIDΒ 9332519.
  26. ↑ Barnes PF, Verdegem TD, Vachon LA, Leedom JM, Overturf GD (1988). “Chest roentgenogram in pulmonary tuberculosis. New data on an old test”. Chest. 94 (2): 316–20. PMIDΒ 2456183.
  27. ↑ Farrell PM, Rosenstein BJ, White TB, Accurso FJ, Castellani C, Cutting GR, Durie PR, Legrys VA, Massie J, Parad RB, Rock MJ, Campbell PW (2008). “Guidelines for diagnosis of cystic fibrosis in newborns through older adults: Cystic Fibrosis Foundation consensus report”. J. Pediatr. 153 (2): S4–S14. doi:10.1016/j.jpeds.2008.05.005. PMCΒ 2810958. PMIDΒ 18639722.
  28. ↑ Kerem E, Reisman J, Corey M, Canny GJ, Levison H (1992). “Prediction of mortality in patients with cystic fibrosis”. N. Engl. J. Med. 326 (18): 1187–91. doi:10.1056/NEJM199204303261804. PMIDΒ 1285737.
  29. ↑ Hoffman GS, Kerr GS, Leavitt RY, Hallahan CW, Lebovics RS, Travis WD, Rottem M, Fauci AS (1992). “Wegener granulomatosis: an analysis of 158 patients”. Ann. Intern. Med. 116 (6): 488–98. PMIDΒ 1739240.
  30. ↑ Falk RJ, Gross WL, Guillevin L, Hoffman GS, Jayne DR, Jennette JC, Kallenberg CG, Luqmani R, Mahr AD, Matteson EL, Merkel PA, Specks U, Watts RA (2011). “Granulomatosis with polyangiitis (Wegener’s): an alternative name for Wegener’s granulomatosis”. Arthritis Rheum. 63 (4): 863–4. doi:10.1002/art.30286. PMIDΒ 21374588.
  31. ↑ Carmona EM, Kalra S, Ryu JH (2016). “Pulmonary Sarcoidosis: Diagnosis and Treatment”. Mayo Clin. Proc. 91 (7): 946–54. doi:10.1016/j.mayocp.2016.03.004. PMIDΒ 27378039.
  32. ↑ Yanardağ H, Pamuk GE, Karayel T, Demirci S (2002). “Bone marrow involvement in sarcoidosis: an analysis of 50 bone marrow samples”. Haematologia (Budap). 32 (4): 419–25. PMIDΒ 12803116.
  33. ↑ Jennette, J. Charles; Falk, Ronald J. (1997). “Small-Vessel Vasculitis”. New England Journal of Medicine. 337 (21): 1512–1523. doi:10.1056/NEJM199711203372106. ISSNΒ 0028-4793.
  34. ↑ Vaglio A, Buzio C, Zwerina J (2013). “Eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis (Churg-Strauss): state of the art”. Allergy. 68 (3): 261–73. doi:10.1111/all.12088. PMIDΒ 23330816.
  35. ↑ Lanham JG, Elkon KB, Pusey CD, Hughes GR (1984). “Systemic vasculitis with asthma and eosinophilia: a clinical approach to the Churg-Strauss syndrome”. Medicine (Baltimore). 63 (2): 65–81. PMIDΒ 6366453.

Editor-In-Chief:
C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Karina Zavaleta, MD [2], Anmol Pitliya, M.B.B.S. M.D.[3]