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Definition

Fever evaluation tests, better known as febrile agglutinins tests, are performed to detect the presence of antibodies in the blood that are sensitive to temperature changes. Antibodies are proteins produced by the immune system in response to specific infectious agents, such as viruses or bateria. Febrile agglutinins are antibodies that cause red blood cells to clump, but only when the blood is warmed to temperatures higher than the average body temperature of 98.6°F (37°C).

Purpose

The febrile agglutinins test is used to confirm the diagonsis of certain infectious diseases that stimulate the body to produce febrile agglutinins. The disease most commonly diagnosed by this test is brucellosis, a infection caused by bacteria belonging to the genus Brucella and...