American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN) Certification Practice Test

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Which of the following is a category of infectious causes of fever?

Autoimmune reactions
Bacterial infections
Inflammatory processes
Drug side effects

The correct answer is: Bacterial infections

Bacterial infections are indeed a category of infectious causes of fever. Fever is a common response of the immune system to infection, and bacterial infections are among the most prevalent causes of fever in patients. When bacteria invade the body, they can trigger an immune response that leads to the release of pyrogens, substances that cause the hypothalamus in the brain to raise the body's temperature. This process helps the body fight off infection by enhancing immune function and creating an environment less favorable for bacterial growth. In contrast, autoimmune reactions and inflammatory processes are not infectious causes, as they typically involve the body's own immune response attacking its tissues or responding to non-infectious stimuli. Drug side effects can also lead to fever, but they are not classified as infectious causes since they arise from medication rather than an infectious pathogen. Therefore, bacterial infections represent a clear and direct linkage to the physiological mechanisms that cause fever through the body's response to actual infectious agents.