A fever is a temporary rise in your body’s temperature, triggered by the immune system to fight off invaders like viruses or bacteria. The hypothalamus acts as the body’s thermostat, raising the set point for your core temperature and causing the body to heat up. Infectious agents circulate year-round, meaning you can definitely get a fever in the summer. A fever confirms that your body is actively engaging in an immune response, regardless of the season.
Common Summer Illnesses That Cause Fever
Summer fevers are often caused by viruses easily transmitted through common summer activities. Enteroviruses are a leading cause, typically peaking during the summer and early fall months. These viruses can cause a sudden fever, sore throat, and sometimes gastrointestinal issues, often referred to as a “summer cold.”
Coxsackievirus, a specific Enterovirus, causes Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease, resulting in fever, blister-like sores in the mouth, and a rash on the palms and soles. Adenoviruses and Parainfluenza viruses also circulate, causing fevers accompanied by respiratory symptoms or conjunctivitis. Increased travel, swimming, and close-contact gatherings during the summer create ideal conditions for these viral pathogens to spread.
Bacterial infections are another source of summer fever, often related to food preparation. Improper storage or undercooking of food during outdoor events like picnics and barbecues can lead to foodborne illnesses from bacteria such as Salmonella and E. coli. These gastrointestinal infections commonly present with fever, vomiting, and diarrhea, which can lead to dehydration.
Increased outdoor activity exposes people to vectors that transmit disease. Ticks and mosquitoes are more active in the warmer months, and their bites can transmit pathogens. Illnesses like West Nile virus, Lyme disease, or Rocky Mountain spotted fever manifest with a fever, headache, and muscle aches, requiring medical attention.
Differentiating Fever from Heat-Related Conditions
Hyperthermia is an elevated body temperature caused by external heat exposure or excessive internal heat generation. Unlike a fever, hyperthermia occurs when the body’s temperature regulation system is overwhelmed, and the hypothalamic set point remains normal. Heat-related conditions like heat exhaustion and heat stroke fall under the hyperthermia umbrella.
Fever symptoms often include chills, shivering, and body aches, as the body works to reach the elevated temperature set point. In contrast, heat exhaustion, a less severe form of hyperthermia, typically involves heavy sweating and clammy skin. Heat stroke is more dangerous, where the person may stop sweating entirely despite a core temperature exceeding 104°F (40°C). Heat-related illness includes dizziness, nausea, and confusion, usually without signs of a respiratory infection.
The treatment for fever and hyperthermia is different. A typical fever is managed with rest, fluids, and over-the-counter fever reducers like acetaminophen. Hyperthermia does not respond to these medications because the body’s temperature set point is not elevated.
Heat-related illness requires active cooling of the body, such as moving to a cooler location, applying ice packs, or using cool water. If an individual shows signs of confusion, stops sweating, or has a very high temperature that does not respond to cooling, it signals a medical emergency, and professional help should be sought.