pyrogen

(noun)

Any substance that produces fever or a rise in body temperature through the arachidonic acid pathway.

Related Terms

Examples of pyrogen in the following topics:

  • Fever

    • Therefore, COX-2 inhibitors such as aspirin are commonly used to reduce fever, although treatments designed to inhibit pyrogens are also effective.
    • A pyrogen is a substance that induces fever and can be either internal (endogenous) or external (exogenous) to the body.
    • Pyrogenicity can vary: in extreme examples, bacterial pyrogens known as superantigens can cause rapid and dangerous fevers.
    • These pathways induce the expression of endogenous pyrogens, including a variety of cytokines such as IL1α, IL1β, IL6, TNFα, TNFβ, IFNα, INFβ, and INFγ.
    • Describe how fever, a common symptom of medical conditions, is induced by endogenous and exogenous pyrogens

  • Types of Cytokines Participating in Immune Response

    • One common interferon is IFN-gamma, a pyrogen involved in inflammatory response and macrophage and NK cell activation.
    • This long-lasting inflammatory mediator and pyrogen can cause fever and inflammation for up to 24 hours.

  • Scarlet Fever

    • Scarlet fever is caused by secretion of pyrogenic (fever inducing) exotoxins by the infected Streptococcus.