When to seek medical care

Seek medical care if you suspect that you have an infection and you have had:

• An animal or a human bite.
• Trouble breathing.
• A cough for more than a week.
• Rapid heartbeat.
• A rash, especially if it's with a fever.
• Swelling.
• Blurred vision or other trouble seeing.
• Vomiting that doesn't stop.
• An unusual or severe headache.

Your healthcare professional can do diagnostic tests. Tests can show whether you have an infection, how serious the infection is and how best to treat it.