PLE Category: Microbiology

PLE-3717

A 9-month-old child presents with a temperature of 39.8°C (103.6°F) and lethargy. Brudzinski’s and Kernig’s signs are both present. Gram stain of sediment from CSF showed Gram-negative rods. What part of the routine health care could have prevented this disease?

PLE-3718

A 9-month-old infant is brought to the emergency department (ED) having woken up from a nap with a weak cry, ptosis, unreactive pupils, and the inability to lift her arms. She has had routine well-baby care. There is no sign of physical abuse or rash, and she is afebrile. The physician puts the child on a respiration monitor and calls the infectious disease consultant. What is most likely causing the problem?

PLE-3719

A 9-year-old boy is brought to your office by his mother. He has had a slight fever and a sore throat for the past 2 days. He has eight ulcerative lesions in his mouth, three vesicular lesions on his left hand, and five similar lesions on his right foot. The most probable cause of his disease is

PLE-3712

A 70-year-old patient develops diarrhea 5 days after starting antibiotic treatment for a serious staphylococcal infection. What is the most likely causative agent?

PLE-3713

A 71-year-old woman presents with complaints of fatigue, nausea, fever, anorexia, and abdominal pains. Her travel history shows that she is recently back from a trip to western and central rural Mexico where she ate what everyone else was eating, including raw oysters from the coast.Physical examination shows a yellow tinge to her eyes, and her urine is dark. Lab studies show elevated liver enzymes. Blood cultures are negative for Vibrio vulnificus.Hepatitis serologies are: – Antibody to hepatitis A virus: positive- IgM antibody to hepatitis B core antigen: negative- IgG antibody to hepatitis B core antigen: positive- IgM antibody to hepatitis B surface antigen: negative- IgG antibody to hepatitis B surface antigen: positive- HBsAg: negativeWhat is most likely causing her current problems?

PLE-3714

A 75-year-old woman is referred to your cardiac practice with no fever but worsening exertional fatigue. She has had a heart murmur since she was young. It appears to have worsened recently.At her 75th birthday party 4 weeks ago, two of her great nieces were sick, and she thinks she picked up their sore throat. She was sick with fever for about a week 3 weeks ago but did not have enough energy to go to the doctor.If you did standard bacterial blood cultures, what would be the most likely outcome?

PLE-3715

A 79-year-old man comes in with a high fever, cough producing a blood-tinged sputum, and difficulty breathing. Sputum reveals an organism consistent with Streptococcus pneumoniae. What is the most crucial virulence factor?

PLE-3711

A 70-year-old man is brought by his daughter to the community health center. He appears confused and has a stiff neck and severe headache. She indicates that the previous week he had a runny nose and other symptoms consistent with sinusitis. What organism would you expect to find in his cerebrospinal fluid?

PLE-3708

A 65-year-old man who traveled to Haiti and took prophylactic chloroquine but stopped just as he left the region now has developed Plasmodium vivax malaria. What stage(s) was/ were not eliminated because he stopped taking the drug early?