Fever

Neonates (less than or equal to 28 days of age) and young infants (29-60 days of age) with fever account for a significant number of emergency department (ED) visits. At this age, there is an increased risk of urinary tract infections and invasive bacterial infections (IBIs), specifically bacteremia and bacterial meningitis. Most febrile young infants have self-limited viral illnesses, however up to 2-3% harbour life-threatening IBIs. Clinical examination can be unreliable in determining the source or severity of infection. The difficulty lies in differentiating the infant with IBIs from those without, while minimizing the risks of over-investigations. Additionally, infants with IBIs are at risk of poor outcomes if not diagnosed and treated promptly.