There are arguments for and against the usefulness of fever, and the issue is controversial.There are studies using warm-blooded vertebrates and humans in vivo,
with some suggesting that they recover more rapidly from infections or
critical illness due to fever. A Finnish study suggested reduced
mortality in bacterial infections when fever was present.
Theoretically,
fever can aid in host defense. There are certainly some important
immunological reactions that are sped up by temperature, and some pathogens with
strict temperature preferences could be hindered. Fevers may be useful
to some extent since they allow the body to reach high temperatures,
causing an unbearable environment for some pathogens. White blood cells
also rapidly proliferate due to the suitable environment and can also
help fight off the harmful pathogens and microbes that invaded the body.
Research has demonstrated that fever has several important functions in the healing process:
- increased mobility of leukocytes
- enhanced leukocytes phagocytosis
- endotoxin effects decreased
- increased proliferation of T Cells
- enhanced activity of interferon