Patient's question:
A friend of mine has had a fever for more than 12 hours. Today, they went to the hospital for a check-up and had a complete blood count done. The friend feels a bit uneasy and wants to know if a complete blood count after 12 hours of fever is accurate?Doctor's answer:
Generally, a fever lasting more than 12 hours is meaningful in terms of blood test results. If the blood test results are normal, it is highly suspected that the infection is viral. Antiviral treatment can be administered, including medications, and a Mycoplasma antibody test can be performed to rule out Mycoplasma infection. Additionally, it is necessary to visit the hospital for a series of rheumatic tests, including an anti-Chain O test and an Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate (ESR) test, to confirm the diagnosis and use appropriate medications accordingly. For young children, venous blood is generally more accurate for blood tests.