This version was machine-translated from German and has not been medically reviewed. The authoritative version is the German version.

Philadelphia Criteria (historical)

Historical low-risk criteria for febrile infants aged 29 to 56 days (Baker 1993) – now superseded by AAP 2021, PECARN and Step-by-Step

Child

Age

Highest temperature (rectal) (°C)

Clinic

Looks clinically well (well appearing)

No bacterial focus of infection on examination

Laboratory

Leukocytes in blood (/mm³)

Differential blood count normal according to the original protocol (ratio of band neutrophils to neutrophils)

Leukocytes in urine sediment (catheter urine, centrifuged) (/high-power field)

Bacteria in urine (bright-field microscope)

Leukocytes in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) (/mm³)

Gram stain of the cerebrospinal fluid positive

Chest X-ray with infiltrate

Diarrhea present

Stool examination unremarkable per original protocol

Calculation aid for healthcare professionals: the calculator reproduces what the sources cited assign to the inputs. Clinical assessment and every treatment decision remain with the treating physician. Inputs and results are not stored.

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Sources

Outpatient management without antibiotics of fever in selected infants (N Engl J Med 329:1437–1441) Baker MD, Bell LM, Avner JR, 1993. Original paper (abstract read, PMID 8413453); 747 infants aged 29 to 56 days with at least 38.2 °C
Unpredictability of serious bacterial illness in febrile infants from birth to 1 month of age (Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med 153:508–511) Baker MD, Bell LM, 1999. Follow-up study by the same group (methods section read, with the Philadelphia criteria); newborns 3 to 28 days

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Note

Calculation aid for healthcare professionals. Clinical assessment remains with the treating physician.

Review date of the German original: 2026-11-08 · Methodology

For parents (in German): Fever in children (kinderarzt.net)

Frequently asked questions

Philadelphia Criteria (historical): What does this calculator compute?

Philadelphia criteria (Baker 1993) for febrile infants aged 29 to 56 days with at least 38.2 °C: clinically well, no focus of infection, leukocytes below 15 000/mm³, urine sediment below 10 leukocytes per high-power field without bacteria, CSF below 8 leukocytes/mm³ with negative Gram stain, chest X-ray without infiltrate. With reservations: historical rule, full text not read.

Philadelphia Criteria (historical): Which sources is this calculator based on?

Baker MD, Bell LM, Avner JR: Outpatient management without antibiotics of fever in selected infants (N Engl J Med 329:1437–1441) (1993); Baker MD, Bell LM: Unpredictability of serious bacterial illness in febrile infants from birth to 1 month of age (Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med 153:508–511) (1999)