Newborn infection is most commonly associated with which temperature pattern?

• A. Normal body temperature
• B. Hypothermia
• C. Hyperthermia
• D. Decreased oxygen consumption

Answer: (B)

In newborns, infection often presents with hypothermia rather than fever because their thermoregulatory and immune systems are immature. They have a limited ability to mount a fever, and their large surface-area-to-volume ratio, thin skin, and low subcutaneous fat make them prone to rapid heat loss. As a result, a septic newborn can become cold even when infected, and this temperature pattern is an important red flag. While fever can occur in some cases, it's less reliable as an indicator in neonates, and normal temperature can also be seen early in infection. Hyperthermia is less typically observed as the primary pattern in neonatal infection, and decreased oxygen consumption is not a temperature pattern associated with infection.