Here is a quick mnemonic ” PYROGENS “ to remember about the Pathogenesis of Pyrogens In Fever
This can be valuable for patients as well as medical doctors, nurses & students doing their clinical rounds. You can also find it very useful for med exams like USMLE, NEET PG, FMGE, NExT & NCLEX exams
Pyrogens are substances that can trigger a fever response in the body. They can be endogenous (produced by the body itself) or exogenous (introduced from outside the body). Pyrogens play a critical role in the pathogenesis of fever by activating the hypothalamus, which is the temperature-regulating center of the brain.
Endogenous pyrogens are produced by immune cells in response to an infection or other inflammatory stimuli. These include cytokines such as interleukin-1 (IL-1), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha). These cytokines are produced by activated immune cells and can enter the bloodstream, cross the blood-brain barrier, and activate the hypothalamus, resulting in an increase in body temperature.
Pyrogens In Fever Pathogenesis : How To Remember Easily ?
P – Pyrogen means any substance that causes fever.
Y – You can find exogenous pyrogens outside the patient.
R – Reputed sources of exogenous pyrogens include microbial products, toxins, or whole microorganisms.
O – One classic example of exogenous pyrogen is lipopolysaccharide, also known as endotoxin, produced by all gram-negative bacteria.
G – Gram-positive organisms also produce pyrogenic products such as enterotoxins of Staphylococcus aureus and the groups A and B streptococcal toxins, also called superantigens.
E – Enterotoxins of Staphylococcus aureus and the groups A and B streptococcal toxins are also called superantigens.
N – Notably, some staphylococcal toxin isolates are associated with toxic shock syndrome.
S – Staphylococci and streptococci cause fever in experimental animals when injected intravenously.
Mnemonic : PYROGENS