Jerry, 56, is recovering from extensive spinal surgery in a large hospital. Thou

Question

Jerry, 56, is recovering from extensive spinal surgery in a large hospital. Though ready to be released, he begins experiencing headache, malaise, and a dry cough which progresses to high fever and muscle pain. Upon examination, Jerry admits to dyspnea and chest pain. His temperature is 39 degrees Celsius,pulse 120, respiratory rate 36, and blood pressure 145/95. A chest x-ray shows infiltrates in the middle and lower right lobes of the right lung. His WBC is 14,000/mm3 . Gram stains reveal neutrophiles, but no microbes. Jerry is treated with erythromycin.
1. Give a differential diagnosis of four diseases Jerry might have. For each,give s reasoning why it could be that disease and explain the likelihood of it being that one.

Explanation / Answer

1.Ans.From the clinical symptoms given in the question Jerry might be suffering from meningitis.The symptoms of high fever , muscle pain, increased respiratory rate and high blood pressure is associated with meningitis.A high WBC count should suggest a diagnosis of a bacterial meningitis.

Again, dyspnea and chest pain presents a diagnostic symptom as in ischemic heart disease but may also be a precursor to angina pectoris.

The high respiratory rate of Jerry may be due to tachypnea , which happens due to imbalance in the ratio between carbon di oxide and oxygen content in the body.

Viral meningitis has no presence of bacteria in cerebral spinal fluid(CSF) .The absence of microbes in the gram stain may also indicate an acute case of Viral meningitis in Jerry.

Related Questions

Navigate

• Browse (All)
• Browse J
• Subjects

Integrity-first tutoring: explanations and feedback only — we do not complete graded work. Learn more.