Case Study 1:  This 68-year-old North Carolina man with diab…

Case Study 1:  This 68-year-old North Carolina man with diabetes mellitus was admitted to the hospital for evaluation of a persistent right lower lobe infiltrate.  Three weeks prior to admission, he presented to an outside physician for evaluation of fever, chills, weight loss, and anorexia.  A chest radiograph demonstrated a right lower lobe infiltrate.  He was treated with oral amoxicillin, but his condition worsened.  His PPD test was negative and three sputum specimens were negative for acid-fast bacilli on smear.  Sputum specimens were sent for fungal culture.  The patient works in a cotton mill in the so-called “opening room”, where he opens bundles of cotton received from the southwestern United States.  Cultures of sputum and blood grew a mold which on microscopic examination had numerous rectangular alternating light and dark structures. Case Study 1.2:  How could this man’s illness have been prevented?

A 17-year-old patient went to the dentist 2 weeks ago and ha…

A 17-year-old patient went to the dentist 2 weeks ago and had all 4 wisdom teeth extracted. She felt worse than you do taking this test. Now she presents with continuing jaw pain and a low-grade fever (temperature of 100 degrees). Her mother tells her that her breath smells really bad now. A list of organisms that would most likely cause this scenario would be:

Case Study 2:  This 63-year-old alcoholic was taken to the e…

Case Study 2:  This 63-year-old alcoholic was taken to the emergency room of an outside hospital with obvious gangrene of both feet.  He was stuporous.  During that evening, he had a seizure and was treated with phenytoin and barbiturates.  By the night of transfer he was noted to have opisthotonic posturing and to have developed increasing respiratory distress and unresponsiveness.  On examination, he had a temperature of 41.7°C rectally, a blood pressure of 70/30 mmHg, a heart rate of 110 beats/min, and a respiratory rate of 40/min.  Examination was notable for marked trismus.  The neck was stiff and hyperextended.  Necrotic, blackened areas were present over both feet and several draining ulcers were noted on the heels and toes.  Neurologically the patient responded to deep pain with a grimace.  On the basis of these findings, specific therapy, in addition to supportive care, was initiated, and the patient ultimately recovered. Case Study 2.1:  What organism is most likely causing the infection which occurred secondarily to the gangrene?