Put an evidence-based conclusion regarding the causative agent of Isabella’s disease. Also should include supporting evidence from the CSF stain and the descriptions of the possible pathogens. Case Study Isabella is a 24-year-old nursing student. She works full-time in the local emergency department. Earlier in the week, she began to feel tired and run down. She had a severe headache, fever, and her neck felt stiff. At work, there had recently been an increase in influenza cases, so she initially thought she might be getting sick with the flu. She decided to take a few days off to rest and took acetaminophen (Tylenol) for the pain. The symptoms persisted and worsened over the next few days. Her roommate convinced her to go to the emergency room for medical attention. Alex, the physician’s assistant that Isabella frequently works with, observed that Isabella was running a high fever, had a visibly stiff neck, and complained of a headache. These are common signs and symptoms of meningitis, an infection of the membranes around the brain. They quickly ordered a lumbar puncture (spinal tap) to analyze cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). In the laboratory, a thin smear of CSF was prepared and Gram-stained. Many white blood cells (WBCs) were observed in the specimen. Smaller microbial cells (indicated by the arrows) were also observed [Figure 1].
Put an evidence-based conclusion regarding the causative agent of Isabella’s disease. Also should include supporting evidence from the CSF stain and the descriptions of the possible pathogens.
Case Study
Isabella is a 24-year-old nursing student. She works full-time in the local emergency department. Earlier in the week, she began to feel tired and run down. She had a severe headache, fever, and her neck felt stiff. At work, there had recently been an increase in influenza cases, so she initially thought she might be getting sick with the flu. She decided to take a few days off to rest and took acetaminophen (Tylenol) for the pain. The symptoms persisted and worsened over the next few days. Her roommate convinced her to go to the emergency room for medical attention.
Alex, the physician’s assistant that Isabella frequently works with, observed that Isabella was running a high fever, had a visibly stiff neck, and complained of a headache. These are common signs and symptoms of meningitis, an infection of the membranes around the brain. They quickly ordered a lumbar puncture (spinal tap) to analyze cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). In the laboratory, a thin smear of CSF was prepared and
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