# Fever of Unknown Origin From the Primary Care Perspective: A Case Report

**Authors:** Kalsang Chodon, Shakir M. Saud, Angela R. Rodgers

PMC · DOI: 10.1155/carm/9086960 · Case Reports in Medicine · 2026-02-27

## TL;DR

A 60-year-old man with a 3-week fever was diagnosed with a liver abscess after multiple visits, highlighting the importance of thorough evaluation for unexplained fevers.

## Contribution

This case emphasizes the need for primary care providers to consider pyogenic liver abscess in patients with fever of unknown origin.

## Key findings

- A pyogenic liver abscess was identified as the cause of fever in an immunocompetent patient.
- The patient improved after IR drainage and antibiotic treatment.
- Primary care providers should consider liver abscess when common causes of fever are ruled out.

## Abstract

A 60‐year‐old immunocompetent man presented to his primary care physician with 3 weeks of fever without an obvious source or risk factors. After multiple encounters, he was found to have a pyogenic liver abscess on computed tomography (CT). He improved with interventional radiology (IR) drainage and antibiotics. Primary care and outpatient providers should be prepared to initiate an appropriate workup for fever of unknown origin (FUO). Family medicine providers working in acute care settings such as urgent care and the emergency department similarly need a framework for FUO. Once common causes have been excluded, pyogenic liver abscess should be considered.

## Full-text entities

- **Genes:** BTG3 (BTG anti-proliferation factor 3) [NCBI Gene 10950] {aka ANA, ANA/BTG3, APRO4, TOB5, TOB55, TOFA}, CRP (C-reactive protein) [NCBI Gene 1401] {aka PTX1}
- **Diseases:** FUO (MESH:D005335), cholangitis (MESH:D002761), Fever (MESH:D005334), cholecystitis (MESH:D002764), acute kidney injury (MESH:D058186), diarrhea (MESH:D003967), odontogenic disease (MESH:D018126), mononucleosis (MESH:D007244), biliary tract disease (MESH:D001660), rashes (MESH:D005076), hepatitis C (MESH:D019698), abdominal pain (MESH:D015746), prediabetes (MESH:D011236), intraabdominal and/or systemic infection (MESH:D059413), malignancy (MESH:D009369), valvular vegetations (MESH:D006349), diverticulitis (MESH:D004238), abscess rupture (MESH:D012421), shortness of breath (MESH:D004417), abscesses (MESH:D000038), hepatic abscess (MESH:D008100), trauma (MESH:D014947), cyst (MESH:D003560), sepsis (MESH:D018805), colonic diverticulosis (MESH:D043963), periodontal disease (MESH:D010510), cholelithiasis (MESH:D002769), HIV (MESH:D015658), gastritis (MESH:D005756), parasitic infections (MESH:D010272), endocarditis (MESH:D004696), weight loss (MESH:D015431), rheumatoid factor (MESH:D001171), Pyogenic liver abscesses (MESH:D046290), joint swelling (MESH:D007592), peritonitis (MESH:D010538), pyogenic infection (MESH:D007239), viral illness (MESH:D014777), pyogenic (MESH:D017789), hypothyroidism (MESH:D007037), choledocholithiasis (MESH:D042883), RF (MESH:C538347), atelectasis (MESH:D001261), decreased (MESH:D009123), dental caries (MESH:D003731), anemia (MESH:D000740)
- **Chemicals:** metronidazole (MESH:D008795), lactate (MESH:D019344), acetaminophen (MESH:D000082), creatinine (MESH:D003404), ceftriaxone (MESH:D002443), cephalosporin (MESH:D002511), cefdinir (MESH:D000077525)
- **Species:** Campylobacter jejuni (species) [taxon 197], Streptococcus anginosus (species) [taxon 1328], Homo sapiens (human, species) [taxon 9606], Clostridioides difficile (species) [taxon 1496]

## Full text

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## Figures

2 figures with captions in the complete paper: https://tomesphere.com/paper/PMC12949358/full.md

## References

10 references — full list in the complete paper: https://tomesphere.com/paper/PMC12949358/full.md

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Source: https://tomesphere.com/paper/PMC12949358