Patients with severe bacterial sepsis who develop a fever have higher survival rates than those who do not develop a fever.Does this observation provide causative evidence for the beneficial role of fever in fighting infections?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The observation does not necessarily provide causative evidence for the beneficial role of fever in fighting infections because it is possible that the disease in nonfever patients was too severe for the body to develop a fever. Therefore, it is not clear that the fever directly contributed to the higher survival rates.

Patients with Severe Bacterial Sepsis Who Develop a Fever Have