Articles

Febrile Illnesses Acquired from Animals

Sara L. Arguello, MD, MPH; Russell W. Steele, MD

  • Pediatric Annals
  • January 2011 - Volume 40 · Issue 1: 31-38
  • DOI: 10.3928/00904481-20101214-08
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Abstract

When any child is evaluated for fever without an obvious etiology, one question to ask is whether this patient has pets or has been exposed to animals, particularly sick ones. The obvious implication is that animals carry many unique, communicable pathogens that might account for the current illness. The likelihood is great because there are more than 77.5 million dogs and 93.6 million cats living in US households. They are just two of a number of species of animals that cohabit with our patients.
AUTHORS

Sara L. Arguello, MD, MPH; and Russell W. Steele, MD, are with the Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases, Department of Pediatrics, Ochsner Children’s Health Center and Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA.

Dr. Arguello and Dr. Steele have disclosed no relevant financial relationships.

Address correspondence to: Russell W. Steele, MD, Ochsner Children’s Health Center, 1315 Jefferson Highway, New Orleans, LA 70121; fax: 504-842-5647; or e-mail: .RWSteele@aol.com

doi: 10.3928/00904481-20101214-08

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