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Fever is a Defense Mechanism
There is an overall increased temperature in the body which is carried upon so as to be able to disable many infectious organisms. Firstly, there is an increase in Prostaglandin E2 ,which raises hypothalamic set point. Consumption of Aspirin disrupts this prostaglandin synthesis from arachidonic acid. .
The Antigens that invaded the body is recognized as foreign, infectious, autoimmune and neoplastic. So it causes the activation immune response cells, leukocytes, mesangial cells, vascular endothelial cells and astrocytes. This causes a production of interleukins 1 and 6. Together with the increased prostaglandin E2 synthesis in the hypothalamus. It causes an overall elevation of hypothalamic temperature set point. This results in increased heat gain, reduced heat loss through vasoconstriction, shivering and behavior. The elevation of the hypothalamic temperature to a new set point and is called a fever. .
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