Step-ladder fever
Type: Symptom
Definition
A prolonged, gradually increasing fever that uniquely spikes higher each successive day.
Clinical Details
As the intracellular bacteria relentlessly multiply within the reticuloendothelial system, they trigger a steady, escalating release of endogenous pyrogens. The core body temperature progressively steps up over the first week, eventually stabilizing at dangerously high levels around 104 degrees Fahrenheit. This specific, unrelenting fever pattern is highly characteristic of the infection.