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Cancer & Blood Service | Te Tai Tokerau (Northland) | Te Whatu Ora

Public Service, Oncology

Infections (if on Chemotherapy)

Chemotherapy reduces the production of white blood cells made by your bone marrow. This can have a major effect on your body's ability to fight infections.

If you are on chemotherapy, it is important to have infections treated quickly with antibiotics that may need to be given at hospital. If an infection is left untreated it can become more difficult to control and potentially become life threatening.

If you:

Ø  Develop a fever i.e. a temperature reading of 38 degrees Celsius or more

or

Ø  Feel suddenly unwell even with a normal temperature which is 36-37 degrees Celsius

or

Ø  Experience shivering when you are feeling hot or cold

Please seek medical advice immediately ANY time of the night or day. This may mean going to your nearest emergency department.

NB: Remember to make sure you have a thermometer at home before you start your treatment.

This page was last updated at 2:46PM on November 22, 2023.