School nurses may deal with students presenting with symptoms associated with infections popularized in the news. Although rare, the implications of missing or misdiagnosing these infections are potentially life-threatening and devastating. We present three students presenting with febrile illnesses associated with neurologic symptoms, a rash, and fatigue, focusing on the initial assessment and management of these students and their associated “hot topic” infection. The authors also discuss two public health organizations, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (https://www.cdc.gov/) and the World Health Organization (https://www.who.int/), online references for the school nurse to research both emerging and common infectious diseases.

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School nurses occasionally deal with students presenting with serious infections associated with common chief complaints. Although rare, the implications of missing the signs and symptoms of these infections are potentially life-threatening and devastating, with both immediate and long-term complications. Rapid recognition and stabilization, with immediate transfer to the closest emergency department via emergency medical services for antibiotic administration, is the key to reducing morbidity and mortality associated with these serious infections. We discuss three students presenting with febrile illnesses associated with chest pain, headache, and back pain, focusing on the initial assessment and management of these students and their common presenting complaints.