Febrile Confusion: Do the Hyperpyrexia Study Conclusions Fit?

To the Editor.—

We read with interest the recent prospective study by Trautner et al,¹ who examined the outcomes of children presenting with hyperpyrexia (≥106°F). However, we question the authors' conclusion that “children with hyperpyrexia are at equally high risk for serious bacterial infection and for viral illness.” This conclusion was based on the identification of bacterial pathogens in 19 of 103 children, viral pathogens in 21 of 103 children, and both bacterial and viral pathogens in 1 child. This assumes …