Which statement is true about fever definitions?

Which statement is true about fever definitions?

• A. Fever is defined as 40 C or higher.
• B. Fever is defined as 37 C or higher.
• C. Fever is defined as 39 C or higher.
• D. Fever is defined as 38 C or higher.

Answer: (D)

Fever is defined as a temperature of 38°C (100.4°F) or higher. Normal body temperature sits around 36.5–37.5°C, with small daily and measurement-site variations, so 38°C serves as a practical cut-off to distinguish fever from normal fluctuations. Reading at 37°C is generally considered not fever, while 39°C is a fever (and 40°C indicates a higher fever), but the standard threshold used in clinical practice is 38°C. Measurements can vary by site (oral, tympanic, rectal, or axillary), which is why the 38°C rule is a widely accepted definition.

Fever is defined as a temperature of 38°C (100.4°F) or higher. Normal body temperature sits around 36.5–37.5°C, with small daily and measurement-site variations, so 38°C serves as a practical cut-off to distinguish fever from normal fluctuations. Reading at 37°C is generally considered not fever, while 39°C is a fever (and 40°C indicates a higher fever), but the standard threshold used in clinical practice is 38°C. Measurements can vary by site (oral, tympanic, rectal, or axillary), which is why the 38°C rule is a widely accepted definition.