How does the innate immune response utilize fever to combat infections?

When a virus or bacteria enters the body, immune cells release chemicals called cytokines that tell the brain’s temperature control center to raise the body’s temperature. The higher temperature slows down the growth of many germs, because most bacteria and viruses prefer normal body temperature and struggle to survive when it is hotter. At the same time, fever enhances the activity of white blood cells, making them move faster and kill infected cells more efficiently. For example, when a child with a flu infection develops a fever, the fever not only keeps the flu virus from multiplying quickly but also helps the immune system clear the infection faster. Thus, fever is a quick, built‑in tool that the innate immune system uses to give the body an advantage against invading microbes.