Febrile infants aged ≤60 days: evaluation and management in the emergency department

Pediatr Emerg Med Pract. 2024 Feb;21(2):1-28. Epub 2024 Feb 1.

Abstract

Emergency clinicians frequently provide care to febrile infants aged ≤60 days in the emergency department. In these very young infants, fever may be the only presenting sign of invasive bacterial infection and, if untreated, invasive bacterial infection can lead to severe outcomes. This issue reviews newer risk-stratification tools and the 2021 American Academy of Pediatrics clinical practice guideline to provide recommendations for the evaluation and management of febrile young infants. The most recent literature assessing the risk of concomitant invasive bacterial infection with urinary tract infections or positive viral testing is also reviewed.

MeSH terms

  • Bacterial Infections* / complications
  • Bacterial Infections* / diagnosis
  • Bacterial Infections* / therapy
  • Child
  • Emergency Service, Hospital*
  • Fever* / diagnosis
  • Fever* / etiology
  • Fever* / therapy
  • Humans
  • Infant