The Journal of critical illness
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The initial work-up of a critically ill patient with fever begins with a hunt for an infectious cause. A positive urine culture, or the presence of dysuria or suprapubic tenderness, suggests urinary tract infection. ⋯ Other common causes of fever in the ICU include abdominal abscesses and catheter-related infections; atelectasis has not been shown to cause fever. If the initial work-up fails to establish a cause of postoperative fever, and the fever resolves within 4 days, no further work-up is required.