In humans low fever is benefical but, high fever can cause death. Explain?

Answer 1

They're actually both beneficial, but the latter runs a higher risk:

Evolutionarily, it is believed that fevers are caused by two competing reasons:

One is the body trying to raise its temperature to kill the RNA in the virus or bacteria.
Second is that the foreign disease is raising the body's temperature to weaken the immune system, so that the virus/bacteria can survive more easily.

But while a low fever (albeit annoying), CAN help kill off disease in your body, a high feaver, even though it does a better job of killing the disease, also does a better job of killing the rest of you. That's why we try not to let our fevers get too high.

And yes, high fevers cook your brain, but they cook everything else too, the enzymes in your body get denatured (cooked and warped out of shape) and then all the bodily functions and chemical reactions go to a near standstill, and you basically stop functioning (die).

Answer 2

First remember that the body creates the fever as a response to a bacterial infection.

Basically the fever makes the living conditions of your infection difficult.
Remember that your body has a very firm claim on health when it is healthy. That is, you have stores of vitamins, energy, your immune system is strong. So you can endure a negative environment pretty well. However, if you were in a very weak or frail position, the fever could kill you as you would have no resources.
So the situation is basically that the invading infection has no resources, therefore it cannot mediate the negative effects of the fever as well as you, the recently healthy human, can.
So it's like poisoning yourself a bit to kill the weaker organism.
This explains why the fever is also potentially deadly: poison yourself too much and you and the infection both die. (fever is clearly not a "poison," it's just a very loose analogy).

You might wonder: why would the body inflict a fever on itself that kills itself? Good question.
The answer is basically that it would only do that if it had no other option. Think of it as basically like a general (here comes another bad analogy) ordering airplanes to bomb the attacking enemy when he's really not sure if the planes will be able to distinguish his troops from the enemy. Its his only choice: risk mutual destruction in the face of assured personal annihilation.

Hope that helps.

Answer 3

If it is a low grade fever then no you should not treat it. Your husband is right (gasp! lol) A low grade fever should be left untreated as it is just an indication that the body is fighting off the infection. If it rised above 101.5 or is accompanied by chills or sweating then you could treat it but as it is now you are better off leaving it be. Not to mention if you daughter is on an antibiotic you should always check with the dr before administering any other medication because some meds react differently when antibiotics are present in the system.

Answer 4

High fever (104 degree F or higher)can cause brain damage. Typically brain damage can occur when fever is over 107.6 degree F for an extended period of time. Also rapid increase in temperature can cause febrile seizures.
Low grade fever (101 to 103 degree F) is helpful in fighting off infection.

Here is a website on fevers.

Answer 5

At elevated temperature, biological activity is limited. This affects the foreign proteins invading the body. Elevated temperature tend to weaken the protein links of the invader and makes it easier for the body's immune system to bind to it. Our organs in our body works optimally at a set temperature. Persistent raised temperature would restrict their function by impairing critical enzymes and hormone necessary to regulate our health. Operating outside the normal temperature for a prolonged period of time would cause that particular organ to shutdown as vital biological control are disrupted. A systemic shutdown of vital organs would then cause death.

Answer 6

fever helps your immune system fight infection by speeding up parts of your immune system while taking the invading pathogen out of its preferred temperature zone and inhibiting its development. it is also helpful even if only as a signal that something is going wrong.

if the temperature gets too high, the heat starts damaging not only the pathogen but also critical body tissues, and that can lead to death.

Answer 7

the higher temp. will cause the DNA in your cell to denature, or unwind and split, which will kill the cells in your body, the enzymes would become inefficient and your body would become over whelmed will toxic matters. and this is the reason your body runs a fever, it cause the bacteria or virus to do the same thing as your cells would do but the bacteria replicate faster then your cells so they would be killed faster and with a higher frequency then your cells.

Answer 8

Actually both extremes can cause harm or be fatal.
high body temperature can cause severe dehydration and can cause body organs to stop functioning.
Cold body temperatures can cause hypothermia, but Extreme fatigue, hunger, or lack of fluids can also lead to hypothermia. Excessive wind can increase the amount of heat lost and cause hypothermia as well.

Answer 9

I think a high fever cooks your brain.

Answer 10

Actually if your tempurature gets to low that can be bad. Your temperature shouldn't get below 93 degrees. And if it get to high you can die because you are way to hot.