A 33-year old woman is brought into a hospital in Littleton, Colorado. She is 1-

Question

A 33-year old woman is brought into a hospital in Littleton, Colorado. She is 1-complaining of tenderness in her lymph nodes. She also has a fever and her blood pressure is very low. Her breathing is labored and she also has some soreness in her chest. She is coughing up large amounts of sputum. Her extremities look bruised and are starting to turn black. Her husband tells the doctor that four days ago she was cleaning the area under her house when a feral, scraggly-looking cat sneezed and spit at her and then raced off. The husband also remarks that it was probably the prairie dog colony next to their house that had brought the cat onto their property in the first place. When the doctor hears this, he immediately orders everyone in contact with the woman to don masks. He also orders prophylactic tetracycline for all those in the emergency room, particularly the husband. He begins supportive care and antibiotics for the woman, as well, but she dies within hours of being admitted. What does the woman have (disease and type)? What is the causative agent?

Explanation / Answer

The patient had the signs and symptoms such as lymph node numbness, hypotension, severe respiratory distress indicate that her condition is Feline Calicivirusor. The complications develope 2 - 6 days after contact. It is a life threatening condition caused by the exposure of stray cat's sneeze or spit. It is a bacterial infection. Initially antibiotic tratment is required to treat this condition, if worsen, it become fatal. It should be treated as airborn precuations, such as use of mask.

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