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Recurrent Fever After Starting TB Treatment. How Long Will Fever Persist?

Posted on Thu, 4 Oct 2012

Question: My mother is 67 years old and is diagnosed with TB, she started her treatment 3 weeks ago, but she gets fever once or twice a week. How long does fever persist after starting the treatment ? Is it the TB symptoms or is it a side effect to the medication ? please help...

Answered by Dr. Muhammad Ishfaq Habib (44 minutes later)

hi
thanks for the query.
Well your mother is having a complicated past medical history. fever is the symptom of the TB but it is low grade and persistent along with weight loss. and it subside within a month or more with the start of the TB drugs. I would request some information regarding the fever whether it is continuous or intermittent? Is she having sweating and chills? any specific time for fever? i would also suggest to have ALT lab test to assess the liver function as the major side effects of the drugs is liver toxicity.
will be waiting for response
thanks
Dr. M Ishfaq Habib

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Muhammad Ishfaq Habib (2 days later)

Fever is mostly in the evening time and she does get sweating and chills. After taking a crocin, she feels better for next 3-4 days. We got a liver function test done which was normal. But her uric acid lever was high, so doctor has reduced her medication. Just worried about the fever, this is the fourth week of her treatment

Answered by Dr. Muhammad Ishfaq Habib (21 hours later)

Hi
Thanks for the query
The fever pattern and timing she is having seems more of malarial fever however I would also like to know if there is any chills with the fever. Also have a laboratory investigation.for malarial.parasite, typhi DOT, blood complete examination and urine complete examination. Meanwhile you can use crocin for fever in SOS.
Feel free for any further queries
ThankS
Regards

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Muhammad Ishfaq Habib (2 hours later)

Thanks for the reply, we had done a complete heamogram with peripheral smear test which came out normal. This is the 4th week she is on TB medication, should we wait to see if fever subsides. she gets chills with fever. Is it normal for TB patients to have prolonged fever ?

Answered by Dr. Muhammad Ishfaq Habib (17 minutes later)

Hi
Thanks for the reply
The fever in TB is low grade fever that is below 100F and is of continuous pattern. It do not accompanies with sweats and chills. The features.are.of malrial fever. She should not have fever due to TB with that much treatment. Therefore I recommend you have
a peripheral blood smear for malarial parasite by prick method with both thick and thin smear. Remember to give blood smear when the fever is at its peak
Feel free for further queries
Thanks
Regards

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar