Suppressing fever for flu and colds is counterproductive

"Data suggest that the use of paracetamol to reduce the body temperature and alleviate the symptoms of flu is counterproductive." Most readers of this post are probably aware of the importance of fever for mobilizing the immune response to an infection. This letter just published in the British Medical Journal reports on another aspect. As the author states, "Infectious organisms are adapted to the temperature of the part of the body they colonise. Rhinoviruses, which infect the cooler upper airway and sinuses, grow best at 33-35ºC, so inhaling air at about 45ºC for 20 minutes significantly improves the symptoms of a common cold. Conversely, treating the common cold with aspirin causes a significant increase in the rate of production of the virus," and continues to note the "good reasons to treat flu by encouraging the temperature to rise to 40ºC for at least 24 hours." Instead of suppressing the immune response, we select from a number of agents to support immune system efficiency and drainage (elimination of the byproducts of infection to increase comfort and reduce adverse sequelae.)