A 34-year-old with a history of IV drug use presents with fe…
A 34-year-old with a history of IV drug use presents with fever, chills, and a new heart murmur. Two sets of bloodcultures are drawn from separate peripheral sites. Both bottles (aerobic, both sets) flag positive within 12 hours. Gram stain: gram-positive cocci in clusters. Question 1: What organism(s) are possible? Is this more consistent with a true pathogen or contamination so far?
Read DetailsA 70-year-old with a prosthetic aortic valve (placed 8 month…
A 70-year-old with a prosthetic aortic valve (placed 8 months ago) presents with low-grade fever. Two sets ofblood cultures (four bottles total) are drawn from separate peripheral sites. Only 1 of the 4 bottles flags positive, after 4 days of incubation. Gram stain: gram-positive cocci in clusters Catalase: positive. Coagulase: negative. What organism group does this identify? Does a coagulase-negative result rule out true infection here — why or whynot?
Read DetailsWhen Jordan, who is 25 and a married father of one infant da…
When Jordan, who is 25 and a married father of one infant daughter, is laid off from his job, he is filled with a devastating amount of worry and fear. When Jackson, who is 72 and married with five grown children is laid off from his job, he takes it in stride and decides that this is a good time to retire. Which of the following BEST explains the different reactions of Jordan and Jackson?
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