Fever following abdominal surgery. Unusual infectious causes.

Identification of the cause and subsequent specific therapy are indicated for those prolonged or relapsing fevers that follow abdominal surgery. On rare occasions, these fevers can be attributed to potentially life-threatening occult infections, including maxillary sinusitis, acute cholecystitis, antibiotic-related pseudomembranous colitis, toxic shock syndrome, systemic candidiasis, and transfusion-related cytomegalovirus disease, malaria, and babesiosis. Early recognition and appropriate treatment of these infections relieve anxiety, reduce hospital costs, and increase patient survival rates.