AN ETIOLOGICAL, CLINICAL PROFILE AND OUTCOME OF PATIENT WITH ACUTE FEBRILE ILLNESS IN TERTIARY CARE CENTRE
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.22159/ijcpr.2026v18i1.8041Keywords:
Febrile illness, Dengue, Malaria, Outcome, MortalityAbstract
Objective: Acute Febrile Illness (AFI) represents a diagnostic and therapeutic challenge, especially in tropical regions where diverse infectious agents coexist. Prompt identification of etiology is essential to mitigate complications such as encephalopathy, shock, and multiorgan failure. We aimed to identify clinical features and classify the etiologies of AFI among adult patients admitted to a tertiary care hospital and assess their outcomes.
Methods: This hospital-based cross-sectional study was conducted from October 2023 to April 2025 at Gandhi Medical College and Hamidia Hospital, Bhopal. Adults (18–60 years) presenting with fever<2 w duration were enrolled. Patients underwent comprehensive clinical evaluation and diagnostic investigations, including serological, microbiological, and radiological tests. Outcomes were recorded as recovery with/without diagnosis or death.
Results: Among 319 patients, most were aged 21–30 years (31.9%) and male (60.5%). Common symptoms included myalgia, headache, malaise, and gastrointestinal complaints. The most frequent etiologies were dengue (26.6%), pneumonia (20.1%), and viral hepatitis A (10.3%). Neurological involvement was observed in meningitis cases (9.4%), with viral meningoencephalitis being the most prevalent subtype. Overall recovery was 90.3%, with 5.6% mortality-predominantly in pneumonia and undiagnosed viral fever cases. Etiology was significantly associated with patient outcomes (p=0.0001).
Conclusion: Dengue and pneumonia were leading causes of AFI. Rapid diagnosis and management are critical, especially for CNS and respiratory involvement. Strengthening diagnostic infrastructure and early intervention strategies may reduce AFI-related mortality in resource-limited settings.
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