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Fever definitions

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  • Fever
    An innate immune response marked by body temperature above 37.8°C, aiding in microbial elimination and enhancing protective body functions.
  • Innate Immunity
    A non-specific defense mechanism present from birth, providing immediate protection against pathogens as a second line of defense.
  • Hypothalamus
    A brain region responsible for regulating body temperature, maintaining homeostasis around 37°C under normal conditions.
  • Second Line of Defense
    A set of innate immune responses, including fever and inflammation, activated after pathogens bypass initial barriers.
  • Pyrogens
    Fever-inducing cytokines released by cells, which signal the hypothalamus to raise body temperature.
  • Endogenous Pyrogens
    Internally produced fever-inducing cytokines, originating from within the body during immune responses.
  • Exogenous Pyrogens
    Fever-inducing substances that originate outside the body, often from microbial sources.
  • Inflammatory Response
    A protective reaction enhanced by fever, involving increased cytokine release and immune cell activity to eliminate microbes.
  • Cytokines
    Signaling proteins released by cells, crucial for mediating immune responses and inducing fever.
  • Enzymatic Reactions
    Biochemical processes in the body that proceed faster at elevated temperatures, aiding in quicker microbial elimination.
  • Microbial Elimination
    The process of removing or destroying pathogens, accelerated by higher body temperatures during fever.
  • Protective Mechanism
    A physiological process, such as fever, that helps prevent and eliminate infections by inhibiting pathogen growth.
  • Body Temperature
    A physiological parameter regulated by the hypothalamus, normally around 37°C, rising during fever as part of immune defense.