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Caesar Salad's Revenge

A thirty-seven-year-old Caucasian male presents to the University Hospital Emergency Room with a complaint of severe diarrhea, abdominal cramps, vomiting and fever. He warns you at the beginning of the interview that he tested positive for HIV four years ago, but has been very well and has not seen a doctor until now. You assure him that the house staff follow universal precautions to prevent the spread of infectious diseases.

His present illness began roughly a day and a half ago. He began to have frequent diarrhea, then he experienced abdominal cramps. He had hoped that this was just a minor stomach upset due to something he ate, but when the fever developed he knew he had better seek some assistance. He prepares most of his own food, and eats out only on special occasions. He did eat at an Italian restaurant several days ago to celebrate the birthday of a friend. While there he had the house special of fettucini ala Guido, and a Caesar salad.

Question 1 - Single Best Answer

It is wise for HIV+ individuals to be careful of what they eat. What types of foods could be a problem for someone that is HIV positive?   Bugs Database

foods high in fat
high-fiber foods
raw oysters
undercooked meat
all of the above

Question 2 - Single Best Answer

What is/are the possible mechanism(s) for diarrheal problems in individuals who are HIV positive?   Bugs Database

infectious
loss of lactase enzyme
malabsorption
drug toxicity
all of the above

Question 3 - Single Best Answer

All of the organisms mentioned below are a particular problem for HIV+ individuals. Which list below is the list of infectious agents likely to cause diarrhea in a person with HIV infection?   Bugs Database

salmonella, cryptosporidia, MAC (mycobacterium avium complex)
treponema, staphylococcus, pneumococcus
candida, coccidioides, cryptococcus
pneumocystis, microsporidium, toxoplasma
CMV, HSV, Epstein-Barr virus

Question 4 - Single Best Answer

The most likely ingredient in the traditional Caesar salad that could cause an infectious diarrheal problem is?   Bugs Database

croutons
raw egg
parmesan cheese
lettuce
nothing in a salad could cause GI problems.

You continue with the patient's history. He has no drug related allergies, nor is he allergic to any foods or pollen. He is taking no drugs except for ibuprofen, and a daily mega-vitamin. He denies the use of illegal drugs. You begin your examination and find his temperature to be roughly 102 F, and he is perspiring. EENT exam reveals no abnormalities. His abdomen and extremities reveal no sign of trauma. Upon auscultation, his lung and heart are normal, though his heart is mildly tachycardic. His bowel sounds are hypermotile, but his abdomen is not tender. His prostate is normal, but his rectum appears to be inflamed. There are no lesions upon his penis, nor is there a purulent discharge. His skin is tenting. You draw blood, and collect a stool sample and then begin IV fluids with antibiotic.

Question 5 - Single Best Answer

Tenting skin is an indication of?   Bugs Database

low blood pressure
immunosuppression
fever
dehydration
zoonotic diseases
LABORATORY RESULTS(AT 6 HOURS)
GRAM STAIN OF STOOL SAMPLE + PMNS, MIXED FLORA no AFB* seen
URINE + KETONES
HEMATOCRIT 0.62
ECG MILD TACHYCARDIA
ABDOMINAL X RAY AIR IN BOWELS
WBC COUNT 5X10^9/L
  Normal Lab Values
none (AT 24 HOURS)
BLOOD CULTURE WHITE COLONIES ON MACCONKEY, GR- RODS
  Normal Lab Values

*Acid-fast bacteria

Question 6 - Single Best Answer

The fact that there are PMN's in the stool would eliminate which of the following?   Bugs Database

Campylobacter
Shigella
enterotoxigenic E. coli
Vibrio cholera
more than one of the above

Question 7 - Single Best Answer

What does it mean that colonies are white (or colorless) on McConkey's agar?   Bugs Database

they are gamma hemolytic
they are fastidious
they cannot metabolize lactose
they do not have a glycolytic cycle
they are Gram negative

Question 8 - Single Best Answer

At this point, what organisms should you consider as causing his problem?   Bugs Database

enterococcus or MAC
Shigella and Salmonella
Campylobacter or rota virus
Staphylococcus aureus
all of the above
LAB RESULTS( AT 48 HRS)
BACTERIAL H2S PRODUCTION POSITIVE
BACTERIAL UREASE NEGATIVE
HEK AGAR BLACK COLONIES, GR- RODS
MOTILITY POSITIVE
LACTOSE UTILIZATION NEGATIVE
  Normal Lab Values

Question 9 - Single Best Answer

What organism does this identify?   Bugs Database

Shigella
Salmonella
E. coli
Proteus
none of the above

Question 10 - Single Best Answer

What happens when an immunocompromised individual contracts Salmonellosis?   Bugs Database

the enterotoxin is not neutralized and the secretory diarrhea is worse than in a normal individual.
the cytotoxin is not neutralized and the dysentery is worse
it can invade the bloodstream and cause a typhoid-like disease
the endotoxin is not neutralized and endotoxic shock ensues
the organism adheres to the intestinal epithelium and causes malabsorption syndrome

You place the patient on a six week regimen of ampicillin and cephalosporin to avoid a recurrence of this organism. Because he is immunocompromised his body cannot overcome the infection on its own.

Question 11 - Single Best Answer

HIV+ individuals are treated differently from normal individuals when they have a Salmonella infection. The best treatment for a case of uncomplicated Salmonellosis in an otherwise healthy person (no HIV) would be which of the following?   Bugs Database

radical colonectomy
an appropriate antibiotic
immunization with flagellar antigen
a laxative
nothing except fluid replacement

Question 12 - Single Best Answer

While this HIV+ individual who does not have a regular physician is in your care, are there other things you should do that are not related to his primary complaint?   Bugs Database

counsel regarding HIV transmission
CD4 counts
CMV IgG
chest x-ray
all of the above

Question 13 - Single Best Answer

What is the purpose of the CD4 counts?   Bugs Database

determine the degree of immunosuppression
determine need for AZT
determine need for pneumocystis pneumonia prophylaxis
all of the above

Question 14 - Single Best Answer

The pneumovax vaccine should also be given to HIV+ individuals. What is the composition of the pneumovax vaccine?   Bugs Database

inactivated influenza virus
tetanus toxoid
bacterial polysaccharides
inactive hepatitis B vaccine
antibody to pneumococcal polysaccharide capsule

Question 15 - Single Best Answer

The digestive system of HIV+ individuals can be compromised in ways other than GI infection. If a person cannot eat because he has difficulty swallowing, what is a likely cause?   Bugs Database

Corynebacterium
Streptococcus epidermidis
Candida albicans
MAC
PCP

   

 Location: http://medinfo.ufl.edu/year2/mmid/a11aq.html
  Updated: October 6, 2005

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