feverPAIN criteria
Last edited 07/2018 and last reviewed 12/2022
FeverPAIN criteria
- Fever (during previous 24 hours)
- Purulence (pus on tonsils)
- Attend rapidly (within 3 days after onset of symptoms)
- Severely Inflamed tonsils
- No cough or coryza (inflammation of mucus membranes in the nose)
Each of the FeverPAIN criteria score 1 point (maximum score of 5)
- Higher scores suggest more severe symptoms and likely bacterial (streptococcal)
cause
- A score of 0 or 1 is thought to be associated with a 13 to 18% likelihood
of isolating streptococcus
- A score of 2 or 3 is thought to be associated with a 34 to 40% likelihood
of isolating streptococcus
- A score of 4 or 5 is thought to be associated with a 62 to 65% likelihood of isolating streptococcus
- A score of 0 or 1 is thought to be associated with a 13 to 18% likelihood
of isolating streptococcus
Reference:
Centor criteria to aid diagnosis of Group A beta-haemolytic streptococcus
antibiotic treatment for sore throat based on FEVERpain or Centor criteria