microbiology case study examples with answers

2014 Pathology Website

Duke University Medical School



( )

-->

Microbiology Cases

Microbiology/Pathology Case Descriptions

Micro Case 1

Over the course of 1 week, a 6-year-old boy develops 0.5- to 1.0-cm pustules on his face. During the next 2 days, some of the pustules break, forming shallow erosions covered by a honey-colored crust. New lesions then form around the crust. The boy's 40-yearold uncle develops similar lesions after visiting for 1 week during the child's illness.

m1-1 . What is the MOST LIKELY diagnosis?

m1-2. The Gram stain from a skin pustule showed gram positive cocci in clusters. The organism grew on sheep blood agar (SBA) and was catalase positive. What is the most likely microorganism?

A. Staphylococcus aureus B. Staphylococcus epidermidis C. Streptococcus pyogenes D. Streptococcus pneumonia

Micro Case 2 (Path Slide 18) [ImageScope] [WebScope]

Clinical History: This 29-year-old male's illness began 10 weeks prior to death, with an episode of "flu". Two weeks later his urine became "smoky". He was found to have hematuria, albuminuria and elevated BUN (180 mg/dl). He died from a pulmonary embolus.

Image Gallery:

The kidney excretes soluble waste from the body and controls electrolyte balance. It consists of the cortex and the medulla. Within the outer cortex, glomeruli with delicate capillary loops are seen. The basement membrane is thin and without inflammation or thickening. Bowman’s capsule that surrounds the glomerulus is thin. The interstitium demonstrates no evidence of inflammation or fibrosis. In the areas between the glomeruli, tubules and arterioles are seen. The tubules are intact. The vessels exhibit no narrowing or wall thickening. The inner medulla of the kidney contains only tubules and blood vessels. Larger arteries and veins are located at the interface between cortex and medulla.

m2-1. What is the BEST diagnosis at the time of death?

m2-2. The throat culture obtained exhibited gram positive cocci in chains. It also showed beta-hemolysis on sheep blood agar (SBA) and was catalase negative. What was the most likely organism?

Streptococcus pyogenes
Streptococcus viridans
Staphylococcus aureus

m2-3. An elderly wheelchair bound man had a history of recurrent urinary tract infections. He presents with new onset of fever, chills, and confusion. Blood cultures were drawn. The organism grown was non-hemolytic, catalase negative, and PYR positive. Gram stain showed gram positive cocci. What is the most likely organism?

Staphylococcus epidermidis
Staphylococcus saprophyticus
Enterococcus species

m2-4. An elderly wheelchair bound man had a history of recurrent urinary tract infections. He presents with new onset of fever, chills, and confusion. Blood cultures were drawn. The organism grown was non-hemolytic, catalase negative, and PYR positive. Gram stain showed gram positive cocci. What is the MOST LIKELY organism?

Micro Case 3 (Path Slide 51) [ImageScope] [WebScope]

Clinical History: A 45-year-old male became ill approximately 2 to 3 weeks ago following an alcoholic spree. He had nausea, vomiting, dehydration, confusion and high fever. He died suddenly shortly after admission.

microbiology case study examples with answers

What is the MOST LIKELY diagnosis AND the likely causative agent?

m3-1. These images depict pneumonia in the stage of:

Red hepatization
Gray hepatization
Abscess formation

m3-2. Community acquired atypical pneumonia can be caused by which of the following organisms?

Legionella pneumophilia
Klebsiella pneumoniae
Mycoplasma pneumoniae
Pseudomonas aeruginosa

Micro Case 4 (Path Slide 195) [ImageScope] [WebScope]

Clinical History: A 67-year-old male had rheumatic heart disease for thirty years. Three months prior to death he began to have episodes of fever and chills accompanied by signs of worsening congestive heart failure. Splinter hemorrhages and purpuric skin rashes were noted three weeks before death.

m4-1. What is the MOST LIKELY diagnosis?

m4-2. Most cases that present with these findings are caused by:

Rickettsiae

m4-3. In this particular patient the MOST LIKELY causative organism was:

Group A Streptococci
Viridans Streptococci

m4-4. The organism MOST LIKELY to infect normal heart valves is:

Group B Streptococci

m4-5. The organism MOST OFTEN associated with infective endocarditis in IV drug abusers is:

m4-6. The heart valve MOST OFTEN affected by infective endocarditis in IV drug abusers is the:

Aortic valve
Mitral valve
Pulmonic valve
Tricuspid valve

m4-7. Which of these organisms are normal flora of the throat and are associated with dental caries, brain abscesses, and endocarditis?

Streptococcus pneumoniae
Peptostreptococcus species

ANSWER

m4-8. A patient with suspected infectious endocarditis has a St. Jude’s prosthetic aortic valve and a fever of 38.6°C (101.5°F). Blood culture shows non-hemolytic, small, white colonies. The organism was Gram positive, catalase positive and coagulase negative. What is the MOST LIKELY organism?

Stapylococcus epidermidis

m4-9. A throat culture grows normal oropharyngeal flora. What alpha-hemolytic organism is most likely to be isolated on the blood agar?

A. Staphylococcus epidermidis B. Staphylococcus viridans C. Streptococcus pneumoniae D. Peptostreptococcus species

m4-10. A throat culture grows normal oropharyngeal flora. The coagulase test for the organism is positive. What is the genus and species of the organism?

A. Staphylococcus aureus B. Streptococcus agalactiae C. Streptococcus pyogenes D. Staphylococcus epidermidis

Micro Case 5

Clinical history: A 33-year-old female dairy farmer develops a severe headache and neck stiffness. On physical examination, her temperature is 38.2°C. She has no papilledema. A lumbar puncture is performed, and a Gram stain of the CSF obtained shows many short, gram-positive rods.

m5-1. Based on the clinical findings presented, what is the most likely causative agent in the case above?

m5-2. A sputum gram stain of an elderly person with cough and fever shows gram positive cocci in pairs. What is the most likely organism?

Haemophilus influenzae
Enterobacter species

m5-3. A 10-month-old child of a family from Mexico living in Durham was noted by his mother to have a grand mal seizure with shaking of arms and legs by the description given to the EMT. The EMTs found the child limp and unresponsive. In the emergency room the child’s fever was 39.5°C (103.1°F). Blood cultures and lumbar puncture were performed. CSF findings were as follows:

cell count of 4000
glucose 20mg/dl
protein 125mg/dl.

Gram stain showed PMNs and occasional Gram-negative coccobacillary organisms. The organism grew on chocolate agar but not on sheep blood agar or MacConkey’s agar. What is the most likely organism in this case?

Neisseria meningiditis
Moraxella catarrhalis
Streptococcus pneumonia

Micro Case 6 (Path Slide 123) [ImageScope] [WebScope]

Clinical History: A 25 year-old woman had pelvic pain, fever, and vaginal discharge for 3 weeks. On physical examination, she has lower abdominal adnexal tenderness and a painful, swollen left knee. Laboratory studies show WBC count of 11,875/mm 3 with 68% segmented neutrophils, 8% bands, 18% lymphocytes, and 6% monocytes.

The fallopian tube is lined by ciliated columnar epithelium that aid in transport of the ovum to the uterus. The epithelium is arranged in fronds that project into the lumen. The wall consists of smooth muscle and connective tissue.

m6-1. What is the MOST LIKELY diagnosis AND the likely causative agent?

m6-2. What is a likely complication of this disease?

Ectopic pregnancy
Infertility
Tubo-ovarian abscess
ALL of the above

m6-3. What organisms are most likely to cause this disease?

m6-4. Which of the following statement about this disease is FALSE ?

It is usually associated with endometriosis
May be complicated by strictures and infertility
May also involve the adjacent ovary
May result in a hydrosalpinx
May be complicated by septicemia
ALL of the above statements are false regarding this disease.
NONE of the above statements are false regarding this disease.

m6-5. The following organisms are commonly responsible for pelvic inflammatory disease EXCEPT :

Aspergillus
Streptococcus
Staphylococcus

m6-6. A 25-year-old male presents with urethritis. The Gram stain shows intracellular gram positive cocci. What is the most likely organism?

Chlamydia trachomatis
Ureaplasma species
Neisseria gonorrhoeae
Haemophilus ducreyi

Micro Case 7 (Path Slide 9) [ImageScope] [WebScope]

Clinical History: A 51-year-old male had a " neurogenic bladder ", caused by a spinal cord tumor. He had multiple bladder infections which were treated with antibiotics. He had surgery to remove the tumor. Postoperatively, he developed fever and costovertebral angle tenderness which did not respond to antibiotics. He expired and an autopsy was performed.

m7-1. What is the BEST diagnosis?

Acute pyelonephritis
Acute glomerulonephritis
Chronic pyelonephritis
Chronic glomerulonephritis

m7-2 . ALL of the following are risk factors for this condition EXCEPT :

Reflux nephropathy
Congenital vesicoureteral reflux
Posterior urethral valves
Acetaminophen (Paracetamol) overdose
Urolithiasis

m7-3 . A urine culture from an 18-year-old woman with similar symptoms also grew a pure culture of more than 100,000 colonies/ml of an organism on sheep blood agar (SBA) and MacConkey’s agar. The gram stain also showed gram negative rods. What is the most likely organism?

Escherichia coli

Micro Case 8 ( Pathology Slide 39) [ImageScope] [WebScope]

Clinical History: 58-year-old African American female had been hemiplegic on the right side for 3 months prior to death. She developed malaise, fever and chills after visiting with her grandchildren. Her infection progressed. She developed dyspnea and expired.

Image Gallery

m8-1. Based on these clinical findings, what is the best diagnosis and likely causative agent ?

m8-2. What is the most likely cause of this disease in most adults?

M8-2. What organism would be most likely to cause a persistent infection in cystic fibrosis?

Micro Case 9

Clinical history: A 52-year-old homeless, alcoholic man had a fever and a cough productive of thick sputum that worsened over several days. His temperature is 38.2°C. Diffuse crackles are heard at the right lung base. Laboratory studies are as follows:

hemoglobin: 13.3 g/dL
hematocrit: 40%
platelet count: 291,8000/mm 3
WBC count: 13,240/mm 3 with 71 segmented neutrophils, 7% bands, 16% lymphocytes, and 6% monocytes.

m9-1. Based on these clinical findings, what is the likely causative agent?

m9-2. An 18-year-old Duke freshman presented to student health with severe headache, fever, and disorientation. A lumbar tap was performed with the following results:

cell count: 300 with 100% PMN
glucose: 10 mg/dl
protein: 100 mg/dl.

The gram stain of the spinal fluid revealed numerous PMNs with intracellular gram-negative diplococci. What is the most likely organism?

H aemophilus influenza
Neisseria meningitides

Micro Case 10

Clinical history: A 66-year-old man incurs extensive thermal burns to his skin and undergoes skin grafting procedures in the surgical intensive care unit. Two weeks later, he has increasing respiratory distress. Laboratory studies show hemoglobin of 13.1 g/dL, hematocrit 39.2%, platelet count 222,200/mm 3 , and WBC count 4520/mm 3 with 15% monocytes. A chest radiograph shows extensive bilateral infiltrates with patchy areas of consolidation. Image Gallery:

m10-1. Based on these clinical findings, what is the likely causative agent?

m10-2. A sputum specimen from a cystic fibrosis patient grew Gram negative rods on sheep blood agar and MacConkey’s agar. The organism was oxidase positive. What is the most likely organism?

Micro Case 11

Clinical history: A suspicious envelope arrived for sorting at rural post office. The envelope was opened and found to contain white powder. Approximately two days later, the postal worker who handled the letter developed cutaneous boils, which were and 1 to 5 cm in diameter with central necrosis and eschars. He and his wife also developed a mild nonproductive cough with fatigue, myalgia for 72 hours, followed by severe dyspnea, diaphoresis and cyanosis. Temperature of 39.5°C, pulse 105/min, respiration 25/min, and blood pressure 85/45mm Hg. Crackles were heard at the lung bases. A chest xray shows a widened mediastinum and small pleural effusions. WBC count of 13,130/mm 3 , hemoglobin 13.7g/dL, hematocrit 41.2%, MCV 91 um 3 , and platelet count 244,000/mm 3 . Both died despite antibiotic therapy. Several cattle, horses, and sheep on the postal worker's farm also died.

m11-2. In a somewhat related case, when Pharaoh did not heed Moses to the let the captive Hebrews go, a series of plagues fell upon the land of Egypt. In the fifth plague, large domesticated mammals including cattle, horses, and sheep died. This was followed by a plague in which the Egyptians developed cutaneous boils. Some developed a mild nonproductive cough associated with fatigue, myalgia, and low grade fever over 72 hours, followed by a rapid onset of severe dyspnea with diaphoresis and cyanosis. Despite antibiotic therapy with both ciprofloxacin and doxycycline (had they been available), many of those affected would die. Which of the following organisms is most likely to have produced these findings?

Bacillus anthracis
Herpes simplex virus
Mycobacterium leprae
Yersinia pestis

Micro Case 12 (UMich Slide 017) [ImageScope] [WebScope]

Clinical history : A 45-year-old woman is being treated in the hospital for pneumonia complicated by septicemia. She has required multiple antibiotics and was intubated and mechanically ventilated earlier in the course. On day 20 of hospitalization, she has abdominal distention. Bowel sounds are absent, and abdominal radiograph shows dilated loops of small bowel suggestive of ileus. She has a low volume of bloody stool.

m12-1. Based on these clinical findings, what is the likely causative agent?

m12-2. Which of the following are appropriate specimen samples for anaerobe culturing:

blood, spinal fluid, abscess aspirate
deep tissue biopsy, sputum, blood
cerebrospinal fluid, tissue and debridement from decubitus ulcer, bile

Micro Case 13

Clinical history: A 25-year-old man is involved in an accident in which he is ejected from the vehicle. He sustains a compound fracture of the left humerus and undergoes open reduction with internal fixation of the humeral fracture. Several days later, he has marked swelling of the left arm and crepitus .

m13-1. In a similar case, a middle aged woman with type 2 diabetes presents to the emergency room with a very painful right lower leg. She has a wound on that extremity and stated that she stumbled on a fallen tree limb in her yard. You observe that her lower leg is discolored and swollen with several areas of crepitus . The abscess fluid was sent to the microbiology laboratory for aerobic and anaerobic culture. The organism grew best on anaerobic cultures and was lecithinase positive. Gram stain shows gram positive rods and the organism show anaerobic growth on egg yolk agar. What is the most likely organism?

Fusobacterium nucleatum
Bacteroides fragilis
Clostridium perfringens
Peptostreptococcus spp.

Micro Case 14 (Path Slide 451) [ImageScope] [WebScope]

Clinical History: A 4-year-old female had a gradual onset of fever, productive cough, anorexia and diarrhea about eleven days prior to death. The breath sounds were harsh, and a few cracking rales were heard over the right base posteriorly.

m14-1. Based on these clinical findings, what is the likely causative agent?

m14-1. Which of the following is the BEST diagnosis?

Ghon complex
Miliary (disseminated) tuberculosis
Foreign body reaction to talcum powder
Atypical pneumonia
H1N1 influenza

Micro Case 15

Clinical history: A 35-year-old man with HIV complains that he has had a "bad" taste in his mouth and discoloration of his tongue for the past 6 weeks.

m15-1. What is the MOST LIKELY diagnosis?

m15-2. In a separate case, a blood culture from a neutropenic (<100 neutrophils/ul) 50-year-old woman on broad spectrum antibiotics grew a yeast. Tests for germ tubes were positive in the microbiology laboratory. What is the likely organism?

Candida albicans
Candida tropicalis
Candida pseudotropicalis
Candida parapsilosis

Micro Case 16

Clinical history: A 44-year-old diabetic woman developed facial pain over the past 24 hours. She has become lethargic and obtunded. There is swelling with marked tenderness over the left and right maxilla, bilateral exophthalmos, diffuse abdominal pain, poor skin turgor, and dry mucous membranes. Her temperature is 37.7°C. She has tachycardia, but no murmurs, and tachypnea; the lung fields are clear.

m16-1. What is the MOST LIKELY diagnosis and the best treatment option?

m16-2. In a separate case, A 22-year-old with non-Hodgkins lymphoma was profoundly neutropenic after induction chemotherapy and developed fevers. Broad spectrum IV antibiotic therapy was administered, but fevers continued. Chest x-ray showed new bilaterial fluffy pulmonary infiltrates. A bronchoscopy was performed which showed hyaline, septate hyphae with acute-angle branching. What is the MOST LIKELY organism?

Blastomyces dermatitidis
Candida species
Aspergillus spp

Micro Case 17

Clinical history: A 50-year-old resident of Phoenix, Arizona, has a cough that has persisted for 1 month. On physical examination, his temperature is 38.1°C. A chest radiograph shows 3.5-cm opacity with central cavitation in the right apical region. An open lung biopsy is performed to exclude cancer.

m17-1. Which of the following organisms is MOST LIKELY to be responsible for these findings?

Aspergillus fumigates
Coccidioides immitis
Histoplasma capsulatum
Mycobacterium tuberculosis

Micro Case 18

Clinical history: For the past 3 weeks, a 52-year-old man has had a chronic cough with a low-grade fever. On physical examination, his temperature is 37.4°C. A chest radiograph shows bilateral, scattered, 0.3- to 2-cm nodules in the upper lobes and hilar adenopathy. A fine needle aspirate of one of the nodules shows inflammation with mononuclear cells, including macrophages that, with PAS or silver stains, show intracellular, 2- to 5-um, rounded, yeast-like organisms.

m18-1. Which of the following infectious diseases is MOST LIKELY to produce these findings?

Coccidioidomycosis
Candidiasis
Cryptococcosis
Histoplasmosis
Blastomycosis

Micro Case 19

Clinical history: For the past month, a 68-year-old patient has had painful oral abcesses, fever, and a cough productive of yellow sputum. On physical examination, there is dullness to percussion at the left lung base. A chest radiograph shows areas of consolidation in the left lower lobe. Despite antibiotic therapy, the course of the disease is complicated by abscess formation, and he dies.

m19-1. Based on these clinical findings, what is the BEST diagnosis AND the likely causative agent?

m19-2. In a separate case, a middle aged man presented to his physician with a persistent cough of two months following an extended overseas trip to visit relatives. He had also noted a 10 pound weight loss and night sweats. A sputum was sent to the microbiology laboratory for routine bacterial culture and AFB culture. Kinyoun stain of his sputum was positive. What is the likely causative agent?

Actinomyces spp
Nocardia spp.

Micro Case 20

Clinical history: A 50-year-old man post lung transplant was admitted to hospital with fever, chills and cough. Chest x-ray showed multiple small abscesses within a right middle lobe infiltrate. The patient had been treated with prednisone and azathioprine daily for rejection. Gram stain of a bronchoalveolar lavage of the right middle lobe shows gram positive rods. Modified acid fast stain shows partially acid fast bacilli.

m20-1. What is the most likely organism?

m20-2. Nocardia species are:

branching, gram negative bacilli
partially acid fast, beaded gram positive filaments
acid fast, branching gram negative filaments
partially acid fast, gram variable bacilli

Micro Case 21

Clinical history: An HIV positive male presented in clinic with confusion and disorientation. He had a fever 38.5°C and photophobia. His CD4 count was 80/ul. A lumbar puncture was performed. It showed 32 WBC/ul with 89% lymphocytes, and 6% monocytes, glucose of 22mg/dl, and protein of 89mg/dl. Gram stain showed yeast and India ink showed a thick capsule.

m21-1. Which of the following is the most likely pathogen?

Cryptococcus neoformans
Hemophilus infulenzae
West Nile virus

m21-2. In a separate case, A 35-year-old man who received kidney transplantation was being treated with cyclosporine, azathioprine, and high doses of corticosteroids. While on this regimen, the patient began to experience headaches and became lethargic. A clinical diagnosis of meningoencephalitis was made. He died 7 days later. Autopsy showed a gelatinous meningeal exudate, and on sectioning of the brain, multiple small cyst-like areas were seen. Microscopic examination showed areas containing rounded structures with a prominent capsule that stained brightly with mucicarmine.

What is the most likely organism?

Medical Lab Technology

Microbiology case studies with answers

Here’s the microbiology case studies with answers.

Case Study: A patient presents with fever, chills, and a history of camping near a freshwater lake. A blood smear reveals intraerythrocytic parasites. What is the most likely causative agent? a) Plasmodium falciparum b) Trypanosoma cruzi c) Toxoplasma gondii d) Giardia lamblia Answer: a) Plasmodium falciparum
Case Study: A patient experiences severe watery diarrhea after consuming contaminated food. Stool samples show motile, comma-shaped bacteria. Which pathogen is responsible? a) Salmonella enterica b) Escherichia coli (E. coli) c) Vibrio cholerae d) Clostridium difficile Answer: c) Vibrio cholerae
Case Study: A sexually active individual presents with painful genital ulcers. Dark-field microscopy reveals spiral-shaped bacteria. What is the likely causative agent? a) Treponema pallidum b) Neisseria gonorrhoeae c) Chlamydia trachomatis d) Herpes simplex virus Answer: a) Treponema pallidum
Case Study: A child develops a fever and a “strawberry tongue.” Examination shows enlarged lymph nodes. What is the most likely diagnosis? a) Streptococcus pneumoniae b) Streptococcus pyogenes c) Streptococcus mutans d) Streptococcus agalactiae Answer: b) Streptococcus pyogenes
Case Study: A patient with AIDS presents with a lung infection characterized by yeast-like cells in lung tissue. Which fungus is the probable causative agent? a) Candida albicans b) Aspergillus fumigatus c) Cryptococcus neoformans d) Histoplasma capsulatum Answer: c) Cryptococcus neoformans
Case Study: A patient presents with a high fever, joint pain, and a recent history of travel to a tropical region. Lab tests reveal thrombocytopenia and leukopenia. What is the most likely causative agent? a) Dengue virus b) Influenza virus c) Zika virus d) Epstein-Barr virus Answer: a) Dengue virus
Case Study: A patient develops a skin infection characterized by red, raised, and painful nodules with central pustules. What is the most likely causative bacterium? a) Staphylococcus aureus b) Streptococcus pneumoniae c) Clostridium perfringens d) Mycobacterium tuberculosis Answer: a) Staphylococcus aureus
Case Study: A patient presents with diarrhea containing blood and mucus. Stool samples reveal trophozoites with ingested red blood cells. What is the probable causative agent? a) Entamoeba histolytica b) Giardia lamblia c) Cryptosporidium parvum d) Trichomonas vaginalis Answer: a) Entamoeba histolytica
Case Study: A healthcare worker develops a respiratory infection with a “fried-egg” appearance on culture. What is the likely pathogen? a) Mycoplasma pneumoniae b) Legionella pneumophila c) Chlamydophila pneumoniae d) Pneumocystis jirovecii Answer: b) Legionella pneumophila
Case Study: A patient with a history of animal contact presents with fever, night sweats, and weight loss. Acid-fast bacilli are seen in sputum samples. What is the likely diagnosis? a) Tuberculosis (Mycobacterium tuberculosis) b) Leprosy (Mycobacterium leprae) c) Pertussis (Bordetella pertussis) d) Tetanus (Clostridium tetani) Answer: a) Tuberculosis (Mycobacterium tuberculosis)
Case Study: A patient develops a urinary tract infection. Urine culture reveals pink colonies on MacConkey agar. What is the likely causative bacterium? a) Escherichia coli b) Klebsiella pneumoniae c) Pseudomonas aeruginosa d) Enterococcus faecalis Answer: a) Escherichia coli
Case Study: A patient presents with a pruritic rash and clusters of fluid-filled vesicles on the skin. What virus is most likely responsible? a) Varicella-Zoster virus b) Measles virus c) Rubella virus d) Human papillomavirus Answer: a) Varicella-Zoster virus
Case Study: A patient presents with foul-smelling, frothy diarrhea and abdominal cramps. Microscopy reveals motile, pear-shaped trophozoites. What is the likely causative agent? a) Entamoeba histolytica b) Giardia lamblia c) Trichomonas vaginalis d) Cryptosporidium parvum Answer: b) Giardia lamblia
Case Study: A patient presents with a high fever, headache, and muscle pain. Recent travel history includes a camping trip in the woods. What is the likely causative agent? a) Borrelia burgdorferi b) Rickettsia rickettsii c) Anaplasma phagocytophilum d) Bartonella henselae Answer: a) Borrelia burgdorferi
Case Study: A patient presents with a wound infection after a dog bite. What bacterium is often associated with such infections? a) Streptococcus pneumoniae b) Staphylococcus epidermidis c) Pasteurella multocida d) Escherichia coli Answer: c) Pasteurella multocida
Case Study: A neonate presents with severe pneumonia and conjunctivitis. What is the likely causative agent? a) Chlamydia trachomatis b) Neisseria gonorrhoeae c) Mycoplasma pneumoniae d) Streptococcus pneumoniae Answer: b) Neisseria gonorrhoeae
Case Study: A patient develops a skin abscess with central necrosis. Gram stain shows gram-positive cocci in clusters. What is the likely bacterium? a) Streptococcus pyogenes b) Staphylococcus aureus c) Clostridium perfringens d) Escherichia coli Answer: b) Staphylococcus aureus
Case Study: A patient presents with diarrhea after eating undercooked poultry. Stool samples reveal gram-negative, spiral-shaped bacteria. What is the likely causative agent? a) Salmonella enterica b) Campylobacter jejuni c) Escherichia coli (E. coli) d) Shigella flexneri Answer: b) Campylobacter jejuni
Case Study: A patient presents with meningitis symptoms, and cerebrospinal fluid analysis shows gram-negative diplococci. What is the likely pathogen? a) Streptococcus pneumoniae b) Neisseria meningitidis c) Haemophilus influenzae d) Listeria monocytogenes Answer: b) Neisseria meningitidis
Case Study: A patient with a history of exposure to bat guano develops a severe respiratory illness. Which fungus is the probable causative agent? a) Aspergillus fumigatus b) Histoplasma capsulatum c) Cryptococcus neoformans d) Candida albicans Answer: b) Histoplasma capsulatum
Case Study: A patient presents with oral thrush and esophagitis. Which organism is often responsible for this condition in immunocompromised individuals? a) Candida albicans b) Aspergillus fumigatus c) Pneumocystis jirovecii d) Cryptococcus neoformans Answer: a) Candida albicans
Case Study: A patient presents with fever, jaundice, and hepatomegaly. Blood smears show intraerythrocytic parasites with a “ring form.” What is the likely causative agent? a) Plasmodium vivax b) Babesia microti c) Toxoplasma gondii
Case Study: A patient presents with a productive cough, night sweats, and weight loss. Chest X-rays reveal cavitary lesions in the lungs. What is the likely diagnosis? a) Tuberculosis (Mycobacterium tuberculosis) b) Influenza (Influenza virus) c) Aspergillosis (Aspergillus species) d) Histoplasmosis (Histoplasma capsulatum) Answer: a) Tuberculosis (Mycobacterium tuberculosis)
Case Study: A patient develops a foodborne illness with diarrhea and abdominal cramps after consuming contaminated poultry. Which bacterium is often responsible? a) Clostridium difficile b) Campylobacter jejuni c) Escherichia coli (E. coli) d) Salmonella enterica Answer: d) Salmonella enterica
Case Study: A patient with a history of cystic fibrosis presents with a chronic respiratory infection. What bacterium is commonly associated with these infections? a) Pseudomonas aeruginosa b) Streptococcus pneumoniae c) Mycoplasma pneumoniae d) Haemophilus influenzae Answer: a) Pseudomonas aeruginosa
Case Study: A patient develops a urinary tract infection. Urine culture reveals small, gram-negative rods. What is the likely causative bacterium? a) Escherichia coli b) Klebsiella pneumoniae c) Proteus mirabilis d) Enterococcus faecalis Answer: c) Proteus mirabilis
Case Study: A patient presents with a high fever, severe headache, and a petechial rash. What is the likely causative agent? a) Staphylococcus aureus b) Streptococcus pyogenes c) Rickettsia rickettsii d) Neisseria meningitidis Answer: c) Rickettsia rickettsii
Case Study: A patient with a compromised immune system presents with a severe lung infection. Chest X-rays show diffuse, bilateral infiltrates. What is the likely causative agent? a) Mycobacterium tuberculosis b) Pneumocystis jirovecii c) Streptococcus pneumoniae d) Chlamydia pneumoniae Answer: b) Pneumocystis jirovecii
Case Study: A patient presents with a cutaneous lesion at the site of a cat scratch. What bacterium is commonly associated with this condition? a) Staphylococcus aureus b) Streptococcus pyogenes c) Bartonella henselae d) Francisella tularensis Answer: c) Bartonella henselae
Case Study: A patient presents with a severe respiratory infection and a history of exposure to bird droppings. What fungus is commonly associated with this condition? a) Candida albicans b) Histoplasma capsulatum c) Aspergillus fumigatus d) Cryptococcus neoformans Answer: b) Histoplasma capsulatum
Case Study: A patient presents with severe watery diarrhea after a recent antibiotic treatment. Stool samples reveal the presence of gram-negative, rod-shaped bacteria. What is the likely causative agent? a) Clostridium difficile b) Salmonella enterica c) Escherichia coli (E. coli) d) Campylobacter jejuni Answer: a) Clostridium difficile
Case Study: A patient presents with a high fever, headache, and muscle pain. Recent travel history includes exposure to ticks. What is the likely causative agent? a) Borrelia burgdorferi b) Rickettsia rickettsii c) Anaplasma phagocytophilum d) Babesia microti Answer: a) Borrelia burgdorferi
Case Study: A patient presents with severe diarrhea, dehydration, and electrolyte imbalances. Stool samples reveal comma-shaped, gram-negative bacteria. What is the likely causative agent? a) Vibrio cholerae b) Salmonella enterica c) Campylobacter jejuni d) Shigella flexneri Answer: a) Vibrio cholerae
Case Study: A patient presents with a respiratory infection characterized by a barking cough and inspiratory stridor. What is the likely causative agent? a) Influenza virus b) Bordetella pertussis c) Respiratory syncytial virus d) Streptococcus pneumoniae Answer: b) Bordetella pertussis
Case Study: A patient with a compromised immune system develops a fungal infection characterized by septate hyphae on histopathology. What is the likely causative fungus? a) Candida albicans b) Aspergillus fumigatus c) Cryptococcus neoformans d) Histoplasma capsulatum Answer: b) Aspergillus fumigatus

Discover more from Medical Lab Technology

Subscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive.

Type your email…





















	'); document.write(' '); } --> '); document.write(' '); } -->

An official website of the United States government

The .gov means it’s official. Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

The site is secure. The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Publications
Account settings

The PMC website is updating on October 15, 2024. Learn More or Try it out now .

Advanced Search
Journal List
JAC Antimicrob Resist
v.3(1); 2021 Mar

Educational Resource Review : Clinical microbiology case studies

Graphical abstract.

An external file that holds a picture, illustration, etc.
Object name is dlab006f1.jpg

LI, low-income countries; LMIC, low- and middle-income countries; HMI, high- and middle-income countries; HIC, high-income countries.

Resource web link: http://clinmicro.asm.org/index.php/explore-the-profession/what-is-clinical-microbiology/418-clinical-microbiology-case-studies-clinical-microbiology-case-studies (Full classification scheme available at: http://bsac.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/Educational-resource-review-classification-scheme.pdf )

WHO region and country (World Bank): Region of the Americas, USA (HIC)

Peer review commentary

These clinical microbiology case studies are available on the American Society for Microbiology website. Each of the case studies is humorously named and free to download and use. As of December 2020, there were 14 case studies on the website, with each case study available for individual download. Topics include malaria, Streptococcus pyogenes , Legionella , Salmonella and Nocardia , among others.

Each case study details a patient’s history and presentation, the action(s) of the doctor, lab test results, diagnosis and treatment, as well as the final patient outcome. The case studies are in PowerPoint (.ppt) format and contain, on average, 12 slides. Each case study was developed by a different author.

Overall, the case studies are straightforward and would be easy for teachers and other medical professionals to use as part of medical education. Contact information for each of the authors is provided at the end of the case study, should the educator want additional information before using the case study.

Lablogatory

A blog for medical laboratory professionals

Microbiology Case Study: An 83 Year Old Male with Fever

Case History

The infectious disease service was consulted on an 83 year old male for fever.

His past medical history was significant for diabetes mellitus, anemia and renal insufficiency. He initially presented 3 weeks ago with chills, rigors and fever to 103 degrees Fahrenheit. For the past several months, the patient has had weight loss (10-20 pounds over an unspecified timeframe), fatigue and new iron deficiency anemia. A heart murmur was heard on physical exam. The patient was admitted for suspicion of sepsis and he was started on empiric antibiotics vancomycin and ceftriaxone. Three sets of blood cultures were drawn prior to initiation of antibiotics, which were all positive for gram positive cocci in pairs and chains. Transesophageal echocardiogram (TEE). TEE showed large vegetation on posterior mitral leaflet measuring 1cm x 1.8 cm, and a smaller mass on the anterior leaflet. A week after admission, a mitral valve replacement was performed followed and a portion of the valve was sent for culture (Figure 1).

Laboratory Identification

The gram positive organism from blood and mitral valve culture was identified as Streptococcus mitis by MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry. S. mitis is a member of the Streptococcus genus. Streptococci have a number of features that aid in laboratory identification: they are Gram positive, catalase-negative, spherical/ovoid, with organisms that are usually found in chains. They are facultative anaerobes.

More specifically, S. mitis belongs to the viridans streptococci group which includes Streptococcus mutans , Streptococcus sanguis , and Streptococcus salivarius , among many others. The most common infection caused by viridans streptococci is bacterial endocarditis, as in the case of this patient. Other infections can include brain abscesses, liver abscesses, dental caries, and bacteremia.

Patients with bacterial endocarditis have an infection of the heart valves or the endoecardial wall that leads to formations of vegetations. These vegetations are composed of thrombotic debris and organisms (Image 2), often associated with destruction of cardiac tissue. Its onset often involves severe symptoms including fever, chills, and weakness. Fever is the most consistent symptom of infective endocarditis, but it may be subtle or even absent in some cases, especially in older adults. Weight loss and flu-like symptoms may also be seen. Left-sided infective endocarditis, as in the case of our patient, will present with murmur in 90% of cases. In long-standing infective endocarditis, patients may present with Roth spots (retinal hemorrhages), Osler nodes (subcutaneous nodules in the digits), microthromboemboli (which appear as splinter hemorrhages under fingernails and toenails), and Janeway lesions (red nontender lesions on the palms or soles).

In the laboratory, the diagnosis of S. mitis and other viridians streptococci is often detected via blood culture as in the case of this patient. Once the blood culture bottle becomes positive, a Gram stain is performed, which shows Gram positive cocci in chains (Image 1). These features are helpful in differentiating Streptococcus from Staphylococcus (which appears as clusters instead of chains). Biochemical testing can be done to narrow down the species and identify S. mitis, which is optochin resistant (as opposed to S. pneumonia), acetoin negative (in contrast to most other viridans organisms), and urease negative (which differentiates it from S. vestibularis which is urease positive).

Surgical pathology can also aid in diagnosis by microscopically identifying vegetations on the affected valve (Image 2). Treatment of bacterial endocarditis is usually with penicillin or ceftriaxone, however susceptibility testing should be performed on S. mitis and other viridians streptococci because resistance can occur to penicillin. Blood cultures are followed until they are negative for 72 hours. In the case of our patient, his cultures became negative shortly after he started treatment. Susceptibility testing showed that the organism is sensitive to penicillin and ceftriaxone. The patient was continued on ceftriaxone and is clinically improving.

-Haytham Hasan, MD, is an Anatomic and Clinical Pathology resident at NorthShore Evanston Hospital (University of Chicago).

-Erin McElvania, PhD, D(ABMM), is the Director of Clinical Microbiology NorthShore University Health System in Evanston, Illinois. Follow Dr. McElvania on twitter @E-McElvania.

Article Contents

< Previous

Cases in Medical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Fourth Edition

Article contents
Figures & tables
Supplementary Data

Lori Dockstader Racsa, Cases in Medical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Fourth Edition, Laboratory Medicine , Volume 46, Issue 1, Winter 2015, Page e18, https://doi.org/10.1309/LMHKL8HWSPZK1UE3

Permissions Icon Permissions

The Fourth Edition of Cases in Medical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases is an updated case series that examines a broad range of clinical infectious diseases that will likely be encountered throughout a clinician’s career in medicine. It spans the knowledge base from the beginners’ level, including a glossary of basic medical terminology, through information widely held by those with more experience in general medical practice.

The case-based book has sections, divided by systems, varying from urogenital tract to central nervous systems. There is a final section focused on more advanced cases, including tropical medicine and zoonotic diseases. Each section starts with an overview about the disease processes and contains a table of the most common pathogens pertinent to the organ system, both of which are a useful study tool for students studying for board examinations.

Each case has multiple questions that ask readers to make a diagnosis based on clinical information; most include illustrated aspects of microscopic and microbiologic findings. The questions delve into different aspects of the disease and give a great overview of which microbiology laboratory tests may be applied to each situation. The book offers up-to-date information on molecular diagnostics that are now being used in most microbiology laboratories, replacing former standard culture techniques. The book also offers pharmacologic information on treatment for each disease, including susceptibility patterns and genes responsible for resistance patterns. In addition to diagnostics and treatment, most cases discuss the epidemiology of the given disease and give examples of outbreaks, when pertinent.

Cases in Medical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases is a great book for medical students and residents rotating through the infectious disease service. It offers a broad overview of the clinical aspect of each disease and diagnostics and treatment. The number of cases makes this book slightly longer than most medical students may want to read; however, the quality of information makes the text well worth the length. This book is an asset to medical technologists who want to learn more about the clinical disease process of organisms they are identifying, especially medical technology students. However, the book is not a bench top resource for the next steps in diagnostics in the laboratory. An overview of biochemicals and procedures used to identify organisms are presented—for instance, optochin, which is used for identifying Streptococcus pneumonia e. However, the zone of inhibition is undefined. Additional information with flowcharts and next steps in the decision making process would have made this book a bit more useful for technologists.

Month:	Total Views:
December 2016	1
January 2017	3
February 2017	3
March 2017	11
April 2017	10
May 2017	12
June 2017	1
July 2017	2
August 2017	7
September 2017	10
October 2017	10
November 2017	22
December 2017	66
January 2018	95
February 2018	45
March 2018	68
April 2018	97
May 2018	42
June 2018	50
July 2018	29
August 2018	60
September 2018	49
October 2018	65
November 2018	125
December 2018	57
January 2019	61
February 2019	69
March 2019	100
April 2019	104
May 2019	87
June 2019	55
July 2019	58
August 2019	89
September 2019	87
October 2019	81
November 2019	76
December 2019	73
January 2020	95
February 2020	107
March 2020	61
April 2020	94
May 2020	63
June 2020	66
July 2020	77
August 2020	75
September 2020	85
October 2020	117
November 2020	51
December 2020	61
January 2021	42
February 2021	63
March 2021	68
April 2021	65
May 2021	77
June 2021	62
July 2021	37
August 2021	32
September 2021	73
October 2021	74
November 2021	60
December 2021	46
January 2022	57
February 2022	62
March 2022	109
April 2022	64
May 2022	95
June 2022	69
July 2022	60
August 2022	67
September 2022	41
October 2022	72
November 2022	69
December 2022	23
January 2023	22
February 2023	54
March 2023	55
April 2023	66
May 2023	81
June 2023	65
July 2023	75
August 2023	78
September 2023	114
October 2023	139
November 2023	106
December 2023	93
January 2024	101
February 2024	71
March 2024	105
April 2024	100
May 2024	69
June 2024	48
July 2024	38
August 2024	36
September 2024	37

Email alerts

Citing articles via.

Recommend to your Library

Affiliations

Online ISSN 1943-7730
Print ISSN 0007-5027
Copyright © 2024 American Society for Clinical Pathology
About Oxford Academic
Publish journals with us
University press partners
What we publish
New features
Open access
Institutional account management
Rights and permissions
Get help with access
Accessibility
Media enquiries
Oxford University Press
Oxford Languages
University of Oxford

Oxford University Press is a department of the University of Oxford. It furthers the University's objective of excellence in research, scholarship, and education by publishing worldwide

Copyright © 2024 Oxford University Press
Cookie settings
Cookie policy
Privacy policy
Legal notice

This Feature Is Available To Subscribers Only

This PDF is available to Subscribers Only

For full access to this pdf, sign in to an existing account, or purchase an annual subscription.

Medical Microbiology and Infection

At a glance, fourth edition stephen gillespie and kathleen bamford.

Case studies
Revision notes
Reading list
Your Feedback
Become a reviewer
Student Apps
More student books
Join an e-mail list

Gillespie: Medical Microbiology and Infection at a Glance (4/e)

Find out more

Case Studies

Select a Case from the list below. Key in your answer before hitting ‘Show answer’ to view the correct answer. There is also a facility to print out the whole page with your own answers and the ideal answers.

Core Cases:

1. A young, previously fit man with a 1 week history of a ’flu-like illness
2. A patient presents at A&E following a coronary artery bypass graft
3. A 19-year-old woman with a shivers, severe headache and photophobia
4. A 68-year-old woman with a defunctioning colostomy to relieve bowel obstruction
5. A returning traveller with watery diarrhoea
6. A 65-year-old with cough, blood-stained sputum and occasional mild fevers
7. A 42-year-old woman with sweats, back ache, loin pain and fever
8. A 25-year-old student with a fever
9. A 61-year-old with a high fever with muscle aches and pains and coryzal symptoms
10. A 52-year-old dialysis patient with suspected tuberculosis
11. A 29-year-old man presents with fever and generalised lymphadenopathy
12. A 75-year-old man with suspected shingles
13. A 26-year-old woman who is 27 weeks pregnant presents in labour
14. A 36-year-old patient presents several hours after eating tinned fish
15. A 26-year-old man who had taken illicit drugs
16. An 18-year-old female ‘gap-year’ student with fever, myalgia and weakness
17. A 32-year-old man with fever, headache and myalgia
18. A 55-year-old woman with shortness of breath, fever, and cough
19. A 2-year-old child with a febrile convulsion
20. A 32-year-old man with a discharging sinus below his left knee
21. A 25-year-old man with end-stage renal failure
22. A 44-year-old man who presented with an episode of collapse
23. A 73-year-old woman in a care of the elderly ward develops diarrhea

Remote Access
Save figures into PowerPoint
Download tables as PDFs

Review of Medical Microbiology & Immunology: A Guide to Clinical Infectious Diseases, 16e

Part XI: Clinical Cases: Introduction

Download Chapter PDF

Disclaimer: These citations have been automatically generated based on the information we have and it may not be 100% accurate. Please consult the latest official manual style if you have any questions regarding the format accuracy.

Download citation file:

Search Book

Jump to a Section

Clinical cases: introduction.

Full Chapter
Supplementary Content

These brief clinical case vignettes are typical presentations of common infectious diseases. Learning the most likely causative organisms of these classic cases will help you answer the USMLE questions and improve your diagnostic skills. These cases are presented in random order similar to the way they are on the USMLE. The important features of the case are written in boldface.

A 22-year-old woman has a severe sore throat. Findings on physical examination include an inflamed throat, swollen cervical lymph nodes, and an enlarged spleen. Her heterophile agglutinin test (Monospot test) is positive.

Diagnosis: Infectious mononucleosis is caused by Epstein–Barr virus. Other viruses and bacteria, especially Streptococcus pyogenes, can cause pharyngitis and cervical lymphadenopathy, but an enlarged spleen and a positive Monospot test make infectious mononucleosis the most likely diagnosis. See page 295 for additional information.

A 5-year-old boy with diabetic ketoacidosis has ptosis of his right eyelid, periorbital swelling, and a black, necrotic skin lesion under his eye. Biopsy of the skin lesion shows nonseptate hyphae with wide-angle branching.

Diagnosis: Mucormycosis caused by Mucor or Rhizopus species. Diabetic ketoacidosis and renal acidosis predispose to mucormycosis. Fungal spores are inhaled into the sinuses, resulting in lesions on the face. See page 419 for additional information.

A 40-year-old man complains of watery, foul-smelling diarrhea and flatulence for the past 2 weeks. He drank untreated water on a camping trip about a month ago. See pear-shaped flagellated trophozoites in stool.

Diagnosis: Giardiasis caused by Giardia lamblia. Of the protozoa that are common causes of diarrhea, Giardia and Cryptosporidium cause watery diarrhea, whereas Entamoeba causes bloody diarrhea. See page 429 for additional information on Giardia, page 431 for additional information on Cryptosporidium, and page 425 for additional information on Entamoeba.

A 35-year-old man who is human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) antibody positive has had a persistent headache and a low-grade fever (temperature, 100°F) for the past 2 weeks. See budding yeasts with a wide capsule in India ink preparation of spinal fluid.

Diagnosis: Meningitis caused by Cryptococcus neoformans. The latex agglutination test, which detects the capsular polysaccharide antigen of Cryptococcus in the spinal fluid, is a more sensitive and specific test than is the test with India ink. See page 417 for additional information. If acid-fast rods are seen in spinal fluid, think Mycobacterium tuberculosis. See page 179 for additional information.

Get Free Access Through Your Institution

Download the Access App: iOS | Android

Pop-up div Successfully Displayed

This div only appears when the trigger link is hovered over. Otherwise it is hidden from view.

Please Wait

Ask the publishers to restore access to 500,000+ books.

Send me an email reminder

By submitting, you agree to receive donor-related emails from the Internet Archive. Your privacy is important to us. We do not sell or trade your information with anyone.

Internet Archive Audio

Grateful Dead
Old Time Radio
78 RPMs and Cylinder Recordings
Audio Books & Poetry
Computers, Technology and Science
Music, Arts & Culture
News & Public Affairs
Spirituality & Religion
Radio News Archive

Flickr Commons
Occupy Wall Street Flickr
NASA Images
Solar System Collection
Ames Research Center

All Software
Old School Emulation
MS-DOS Games
Historical Software
Classic PC Games
Software Library
Kodi Archive and Support File
Vintage Software
CD-ROM Software
CD-ROM Software Library
Software Sites
Tucows Software Library
Shareware CD-ROMs
Software Capsules Compilation
CD-ROM Images
ZX Spectrum
DOOM Level CD

Smithsonian Libraries
FEDLINK (US)
Lincoln Collection
American Libraries
Canadian Libraries
Universal Library
Project Gutenberg
Children's Library
Biodiversity Heritage Library
Books by Language
Additional Collections

Prelinger Archives
Democracy Now!
Occupy Wall Street
TV NSA Clip Library
Animation & Cartoons
Arts & Music
Computers & Technology
Cultural & Academic Films
Ephemeral Films
Sports Videos
Videogame Videos
Youth Media

Search the history of over 866 billion web pages on the Internet.

Mobile Apps

Wayback Machine (iOS)
Wayback Machine (Android)

Browser Extensions

Archive-it subscription.

Explore the Collections
Build Collections

Save Page Now

Capture a web page as it appears now for use as a trusted citation in the future.

Please enter a valid web address

Donate Donate icon An illustration of a heart shape

The microbe files : cases in microbiology for the undergraduate with answers

Bookreader item preview, share or embed this item, flag this item for.

Graphic Violence
Explicit Sexual Content
Hate Speech
Misinformation/Disinformation
Marketing/Phishing/Advertising
Misleading/Inaccurate/Missing Metadata

plus-circle Add Review comment Reviews

Better World Books

DOWNLOAD OPTIONS

No suitable files to display here.

IN COLLECTIONS

Uploaded by station38.cebu on November 18, 2021

SIMILAR ITEMS (based on metadata)

2nd Edition

Case Studies in Infectious Disease

Taylor & Francis eBooks (Institutional Purchase) Opens in new tab or window

Description

Case Studies in Infectious Disease presents 40 case studies featuring the most important human infectious diseases worldwide. Fully revised and updated in this second edition, the book describes the natural history of infection from point of entry of the pathogen through to clinical management of the resulting disease or condition. A further 8 case studies have been provided online as supplementary material, and these can be downloaded by students. Five core sets of questions are posed in each case, with the answers covering the nature of the infectious agent, route(s) of spread and of infection, pathogenesis of disease, host response to infection, clinical manifestations, diagnosis, treatment and prevention. This standardized approach provides the reader with a logical basis for understanding these diverse and medically important organisms and diseases, fully integrating microbiology and immunology throughout. KEY FEATURES High-resolution photos accompany each case, from the causative agents of disease to the clinical manifestations of the infection. Exquisite artwork helps to illustrate important concepts throughout the book. Eight new cases added to this new edition, extending coverage of important infectious diseases of worldwide significance. A standardized set of core questions allows students to compare directly differences between microbes such as their structure, clinical manifestations, host response, pathogenesis and availability of vaccines. Questions and answers available online, test the reader’s understanding of each case study. The book provides essential case-based learning for undergraduate and graduate microbiology students, while medical students and trainee physicians will also find the up-to-date information on 48 globally important infectious diseases outlined in a clear, digestible form, invaluable during undergraduate studies and in future clinical practice.

Peter M Lydyard , Emeritus Professor of Immunology, University College Medical School, London, UK, Honorary Professor of Immunology, School of Life Sciences, University of Westminster, London, UK and Professor of Immunology, University of Georgia, Tbilisi, Georgia. Michael F Cole , Emeritus Professor of Microbiology and Immunology, Georgetown University Department of Microbiology & Immunology, Washington DC. USA. John Holton , Dept of Natural Sciences University of Middlesex London UK and Department of Pathology Darrent Valley Hospital Dartford UK. William L Irving , Professor and Honorary Consultant in Virology, University of Nottingham and Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust. Nina Porakishvili , Principal Lecturer in Life Sciences, University of Westminster, London, UK. Dr Pradhib Venkatesan , Consultant in Infectious Diseases, Department of Infectious Diseases, Nottingham University Hospitals City Campus, Nottingham. UK. Katherine N Ward , Honorary Professor, Division of Infection and Immunity, University College London, London, UK.

Critics' Reviews

"a handsome, excellent book on most common pathogens, with a clear orientation to immunology, physiopathology, and microbiology … It reads well and is an excellent textbook for medical students and a good source of illustrations, tables, and question ideas for teachers." Gary P. Wormser and Guillaume Béraud for Clinical Infectious Diseases. "a valuable compilation of information on the most common diseases that cause illness and death worldwide. The presentation format with distinct sections makes it readable and well suited for either students just learning about the pathogens causing infectious disease or clinicians who need an update. The level of detail is well thought out and gives the reader a useful summary of each pathogen and disease state. The condensed presentations make it a good reference source for those with insufficient time to read through more detailed textbooks." Philip S. Brachman for Emerging Infectious Disease.

About VitalSource eBooks

VitalSource is a leading provider of eBooks.

Access your materials anywhere, at anytime.
Customer preferences like text size, font type, page color and more.
Take annotations in line as you read.

Multiple eBook Copies

This eBook is already in your shopping cart. If you would like to replace it with a different purchasing option please remove the current eBook option from your cart.

Book Preview

The country you have selected will result in the following:

Product pricing will be adjusted to match the corresponding currency.
The title Perception will be removed from your cart because it is not available in this region.

Publications
Conferences & Events
Professional Learning
Science Standards
Awards & Competitions
Instructional Materials
Free Resources
For Preservice Teachers
NCCSTS Case Collection
Science and STEM Education Jobs
Interactive eBooks+
Digital Catalog
Regional Product Representatives
e-Newsletters
Browse All Titles
Bestselling Books
Latest Books
Popular Book Series
Submit Book Proposal
Web Seminars
National Conference • New Orleans 24
Leaders Institute • New Orleans 24
National Conference • Philadelphia 25
Exhibits & Sponsorship
Submit a Proposal
Conference Reviewers
Past Conferences
Latest Resources
Professional Learning Units & Courses
For Districts
Online Course Providers
Schools & Districts
College Professors & Students
The Standards
Teachers and Admin
eCYBERMISSION
Toshiba/NSTA ExploraVision
Junior Science & Humanities Symposium
Teaching Awards
Climate Change
Earth & Space Science
New Science Teachers
Early Childhood
Middle School
High School
Postsecondary
Informal Education
Journal Articles
Lesson Plans
e-newsletters
Science & Children
Science Scope
The Science Teacher
Journal of College Sci. Teaching
Connected Science Learning
NSTA Reports
Next-Gen Navigator
Science Update
Teacher Tip Tuesday
Trans. Sci. Learning

MyNSTA Community

My Collections

Case Studies: Microbiology

All microbiology case studies.

The King of England Sickness

By Kristie L. Reilly, Carisa Davis, Estella Blankson, Christina Pepe

A Bioinformatic Investigation of a Mysterious Meningoencephalitis

By Sari Matar, Dyan Anore, Basma Galal, Shawn Xiong

Sarah’s Stomach

By Kelli M. Kinlen, David M. Zuckerman

Molly’s Medical Mission Maladies

By William M. Kolling, Catherine D. Santanello

A New York State of Mind

By Samantha N. Jewell, Julian A. Brix

What’s in Your Food?

By Bwalya Lungu

A Fatal Bite

By Obidimma Ezezika, Mona Jarrah, Shawanah Rahman

Troubled Waters

By Sebastian A. Schormann, James E. Boyett, Samiksha A. Raut

New Tricks for Old Drugs

By Carlos C. Goller, Stefanie H. Chen, Melissa C. Srougi

Stuck on You

By Brenda F. Canine, Michael L. Dini, Breanna N. Harris

American Society for Microbiology

Lesson Plans
Medical Microbiology Laboratory Case Studies

Lesson Plan Undergraduates Medical Microbiology Laboratory Case Studies

The purpose of this laboratory exercise is to give students the opportunity to use the basic knowledge and techniques (Gram stain, biochemical reactions, etc.) gained in a medical or allied health microbiology laboratory in a series of practical, "hands-on" simulated patient scenarios. Three case studies will test students' knowledge of the pathogens of the gastrointestinal, respiratory, and urogenital tracts.

The 2024 Clinical Virology Symposium Registration Now Open!

Discover asm membership, get published in an asm journal.

BioEd Online

Science teacher resources from baylor college of medicine.

Infectious Disease Case Study

Download Lesson and Student Pages
Print Materials List
Length: 60 Minutes

Students use evidence to determine whether a patient has a cold, flu or strep infection, and they also learn the differences between bacterial and viral infections.

This activity is from The Science of Microbes Teacher's Guide , and is most appropriate for use with students in grades 6-8. Lessons from the guide may be used with other grade levels as deemed appropriate.

The guide is available in print format.

This work was developed in partnership with the Baylor-UT Houston Center for AIDS Research, an NIH-funded program.

Teacher Background

Objectives and standards, materials and setup, procedure and extensions, handouts and downloads.

Many different microorganisms can infect the human respiratory system, causing symptoms such as fever, runny nose or sore throat. Even the common cold, which may range from mild to serious, can be caused by any of more than 200 viruses! Colds are among the leading causes of visits to physicians in the United States, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) report that 22 million school days are lost in the U.S. each year due to the common cold. Usually, cold symptoms appear within two to three days of infection and include: mucus buildup in the nose, swelling of sinuses, cough, headache, sore throat, sneezing and mild fever (particularly in infants and young children). The body’s immune system, which protects against disease-causing microbes, almost always is able to eliminate the viruses responsible for a cold.

Flu (or influenza) often is more serious than the common cold. Caused by one of three types of closely related viruses, flu can come on quickly, with chills, fatigue, headache and body aches. A high fever and severe cough may develop. Flu may be prevented in some cases through a vaccine. However, since the viruses that cause flu change slightly from year to year, a new vaccine is required each flu season. Influenza was responsible for three pandemics (worldwide spread of disease) in the 20th Century alone.

Antibiotics do not kill viruses, and therefore, are not helpful in fighting the common cold or flu. But these diseases can make a person more susceptible to bacterial infections, such as strep throat, a common infection by a Streptococcus bacterium . Symptoms of “strep” infections include sore throat, high fever, coughing, and swollen lymph nodes and tonsils. Diagnosis should be based on the results of a throat swab, which is cultured, and/or a rapid antigen test, which detects foreign substances, known as antigens, in the throat. Strep infections usually can be treated effectively with antibiotics. Without treatment, strep throat can lead to other serious illnesses, such as scarlet fever and rheumatic fever.

Symptoms similar to those of a cold can be caused by allergens in the air. Health experts estimate that 35 million Americans suffer from respiratory allergies, such as hay fever (pollen allergy). An allergy is a reaction of an individual’s disease defense system (immune system) to a substance that does not bother most people. Allergies are not contagious.

Develop descriptions, explanations, predictions and models using evidence.

Think critically and logically to make the relationships between evidence and explanations.

Recognize and analyze alternative explanations and predictions.

Life Science

Disease is a breakdown in structures or functions of an organism. Some diseases are the result of infection by other organisms.

Teacher Materials (see Setup)

90 letter-size plain envelopes

6 sheets of white, self-stick folder labels, 3-7/16 in. x 2/3 in., 30 labels per sheet (Avery™ #5366, 5378 or 8366)

Overhead projector

Overhead transparency of the "Disorders and Symptoms" student sheet

Materials per Group of Students

Set of prepared envelopes (15 envelopes per set)

Copy of "What is Wrong with Allison?" and "Disorders and Symptoms" student sheets (see Lesson pdf)

Group concept map (ongoing)

Photocopy the "What is Wrong with Allison?" and "Disorders and Symptoms" student sheets (one copy of each per student), to be distributed in order (see Procedure).

Photocopy the label template sheet onto six sheets of white, self-stick labels, such as Avery™ #5366, 5378 or 8366, which contain 30 labels per sheet.

Use one page of photocopied labels to create each set of envelopes. Place a "Question" label on the outside of one envelope and stick the corresponding "Clue" label on the inside flap of the same envelope. Close the flap, but do not seal the envelope. Make six sets of 15 envelopes (one set per group).

Make an overhead transparency of the "Disorders and Symptoms" sheet. Have students work in groups of four.

Optional: Instead of using self-stick labels, copy the label template page onto plain paper and cut out each question and clue. Tape one question to the outside of an envelope and the corresponding clue to the inside flap of the envelope.

Begin a class discussion of disease by asking questions such as, How do you know when you are sick? What are some common diseases? Are all diseases alike? Are all diseases caused by a kind of microbe? Do some diseases have similar symptoms?

Tell your students that in this class session, they will be acting as medical personnel trying to diagnose a patient. Give each group a copy of the "What is Wrong with Allison?" sheet. Have one student read the case to the group, and then have groups discuss it. The reporter should record each group’s ideas about what might be wrong with Allison.

Have each student group list four possible questions that a doctor might ask a patient like Allison. Write these questions on the board and discuss with the class.

Have groups identify three possible diseases that Allison may have, based on the story, class discussion and their own experiences.

Give each student a copy of the "Disorders and Symptoms" sheet and briefly introduce the four illnesses to the entire class. Compare these illnesses to the ones that students suggested. Ask, Are there any similarities? Have students follow the instructions on the sheet to complete the exercise.

Give each group of students a set of envelopes. Warn students not to open the envelopes until they are instructed to do so. Tell students that each envelope contains information that a medical doctor might need about a patient. All information is important to the diagnosis, but only certain information will help to distinguish among the four possible respiratory disorders. Instruct students that their task is to decide which envelopes contain information that will help them determine Allison’s illness. Once a group has agreed on question choices, it may open as many envelopes—one at a time—as needed. The challenge is to use as few envelopes as possible to diagnose Allison’s illness. Each group should keep a tally of the number of envelopes opened. Remind students that in real life, a physician would conduct a complete examination and gather all possible information before making a diagnosis.

Allow time for groups to work. Provide assistance to students who may not understand the information contained in the envelopes. If the medicine and body temperature envelopes have been opened, make sure students understand that some medications, like Tylenol™, will mask the presence of mild fevers.

Have each group present its diagnosis and the reasoning used to arrive at its decision. (Allison’s disease is a common cold. If students have arrived at other conclusions, discuss the evidence they used. Mention the challenges of diagnosing respiratory diseases.)

Expand the discussion to address the importance of not taking antibiotics for viral diseases. Ask, Since Allison has a cold, should her doctor prescribe antibiotics? Would it be okay to take leftover antibiotics? Help students understand that antibiotics are effective for bacterial infections, but do not help against viral infections like colds. Also, mention that if antibiotics are prescribed for a bacterial infection, it is important to follow the doctor’s instructions and to take all the medication, even if symptoms start to improve before the medicine is gone. Otherwise, the disease may reoccur. Taking antibiotics incorrectly, or using them inappropriately (such as taking leftover medicine without a doctor’s guidance) can contribute to the development of antibiotic resistant forms of bacteria, which cannot be killed by existing antibiotics.

Have student groups add information to their concept maps.

X-Times: Career Options

Student magazine: Special issue featuring healthcare professionals who discuss why each chose his or her career, educational requirements needed to obtain the job, and day-to-day responsibilities.

X-Times: Microbes

Student magazine: articles focusing on microbes, both helpful and harmful. Includes a special report, "HIV/AIDS: The Virus and the Epidemic."

Science Education Partnership Award, NIH

MicroMatters Grant Number: 5R25RR018605

User Tools [+] Expand

User tools [-] collapse.

You currently have no favorites. You may add some using the "Add to favorites" link below.
Stored in favorites
Add to favorites
Send this Page
Print this Page

Lessons and More

Join our mailing list.

Stay up to date with news and information from BioEd Online, join our mailing list today!

Click Here to Subscribe

Need Assistance?

If you need help or have a question please use the links below to help resolve your problem.

Pardon Our Interruption

As you were browsing something about your browser made us think you were a bot. There are a few reasons this might happen:

You've disabled JavaScript in your web browser.
You're a power user moving through this website with super-human speed.
You've disabled cookies in your web browser.
A third-party browser plugin, such as Ghostery or NoScript, is preventing JavaScript from running. Additional information is available in this support article .

To regain access, please make sure that cookies and JavaScript are enabled before reloading the page.

IMAGES

Pathogenic Microbiology Case Study 3
SOLUTION: Bio 250 microbiology midterm exam 180 questions and answers
Solved The following are case studies of microbial diseases.
Solved Case study Microbiology, please explain in as
Case study 2 assignment
Campylobacter Case Study answers

VIDEO

Microbiology case study pitching video: MICROPLASTIC KILLS
5 ways to study microbiology #shortvideo #subscribe #healthylife#students#univercity #education
Medical microbiology: Case study questions (6 cases)
microbiology case study 2
Forensic Science Expert Reveals what Actually Happens After DEATH
How to Study Microbiology in Medical School

COMMENTS

Browse By Case Study
Browse By Content Type Case Study Our Work. Uncover interesting and unusual findings in the microbiology laboratory by browsing case studies, shared by your clinical and public health microbiology colleagues. Cases can be used as a teaching tool or to further your individual knowledge of the field. ...
PDF Case Studies in Microbiology
Clindamycin. aspect of right forearm". Case # 1 Patient is admitted. It is discovered that patient only filled prescription for Clindamycin. He said he could not afford the Itraconazole prescription. Itraconazole: Walmart: $152.60 Target, Winn Dixie, CVS, Walgreens: ~$200. Clindamycin: Walmart, Target, Winn Dixie, CVS, Walgreens: $35 ‐50.
Microbiology Case Study: A 15 Year Old Male with Endocarditis
Case History A 15 year old male with a past medical history significant for Tetralogy of Fallot (congenital heart defect), multiple valve replacements, chronic kidney disease, and prior Bartonella endocarditis. He presented with a "flu-like" illness including muscle aches, fevers, fatigue, and night sweats. His symptoms slowly dissipated ...
Duke Pathology
ANSWER . Micro Case 9. Clinical history: A 52-year-old homeless, alcoholic man had a fever and a cough productive of thick sputum that worsened over several days. His temperature is 38.2°C. Diffuse crackles are heard at the right lung base. Laboratory studies are as follows: hemoglobin: 13.3 g/dL; hematocrit: 40%; platelet count: 291,8000/mm 3
Microbiology case studies with answers
a) Mycoplasma pneumoniae. b) Legionella pneumophila. c) Chlamydophila pneumoniae. d) Pneumocystis jirovecii Answer: b) Legionella pneumophila. Case Study: A patient with a history of animal contact presents with fever, night sweats, and weight loss. Acid-fast bacilli are seen in sputum samples.
Microbiology Case Studies Exam 1 Flashcards
Study with Quizlet and memorize flashcards containing terms like An 19yr-old female comes to the Student Death Health Clinic complaining of mild fever, abdominal and back/flank pain, and pain, straining, and burning during frequent urination. She admits to being sexually active. An STI test comes back negative. Explain to your groups & TA what this means, what structures are involved, and how ...
Microbiology
Microbiology, 5/e. Lansing M Prescott, Augustana College Donald A Klein, Colorado State University John P Harley, Eastern Kentucky University. Clinical Case Studies. Case Study 01. Case Study 02. Case Study 03. Case Study 04. Case Study 05. Case Study 06. Case Study 07. Case Study 08. Case Study 09. Case Study 10. Case Study 11. Case Study 12.
Educational Resource Review : Clinical microbiology case studies
Each case study details a patient's history and presentation, the action (s) of the doctor, lab test results, diagnosis and treatment, as well as the final patient outcome. The case studies are in PowerPoint (.ppt) format and contain, on average, 12 slides. Each case study was developed by a different author.
Case Studies in Clinical Microbiology
General Information: This recently revised and updated course (2023) provides interactive case studies which cover pertinent current topics in clinical microbiology. Numerous images enhance the text and interactive questions help the student master the material. Level of Instruction: Intermediate.
PDF Medical Microbiology Laboratory Case Studies
Antibiotic disks used in previous case study Gram stain of E. coli Reagents for indole, methyl red, and Voges-Proskauer tests (2 sets) Inoculating loops and needles, sterile swabs, glass slides, and other standard microbiology equipment Instructor's answer key - "The Seven-Year Itch" answer key Instructor Version.
Microbiology Case Study: An 83 Year Old Male with Fever
Case History. The infectious disease service was consulted on an 83 year old male for fever. His past medical history was significant for diabetes mellitus, anemia and renal insufficiency. He initially presented 3 weeks ago with chills, rigors and fever to 103 degrees Fahrenheit. For the past several months, the patient has had weight loss (10 ...
Cases in Medical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Fourth Edition
The Fourth Edition of Cases in Medical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases is an updated case series that examines a broad range of clinical infectious diseases that will likely be encountered throughout a clinician's career in medicine. It spans the knowledge base from the beginners' level, including a glossary of basic medical terminology, through information widely held by those with ...
Medical Microbiology and Infection
Case Studies. Select a Case from the list below. Key in your answer before hitting 'Show answer' to view the correct answer. There is also a facility to print out the whole page with your own answers and the ideal answers. Core Cases: 1. A young, previously fit man with a 1 week history of a 'flu-like illness; 2.
Clinical Cases: Introduction
Read chapter Part XI of Review of Medical Microbiology & Immunology: A Guide to Clinical Infectious Diseases, 16e online now, exclusively on AccessMedicine. AccessMedicine is a subscription-based resource from McGraw Hill that features trusted medical content from the best minds in medicine.
The microbe files : cases in microbiology for the undergraduate with
The microbe files : cases in microbiology for the undergraduate with answers ... Medical microbiology -- Case studies Publisher San Francisco : Benjamin Cummings Collection internetarchivebooks; printdisabled Contributor Internet Archive Language
Case Studies in Infectious Disease
Questions and answers available online, test the reader's understanding of each case study. The book provides essential case-based learning for undergraduate and graduate microbiology students, while medical students and trainee physicians will also find the up-to-date information on 48 globally important infectious diseases outlined in a ...
Microbiology bacteria case studies Flashcards
Microbiology bacteria case studies. Get a hint. A 28-year old man presents with 2 larger carbuncles on his back. There is also a tight, warm red patch between them. The physician uses a sterile needle to drain the lesions and prescribes antibiotics. Name the organism and suggest the treatment. Staphylococcus aureus.
Case Reports: Clinical Microbiology Stories as Teaching Tools
Case reports, which detail the signs, symptoms, diagnosis, treatment and follow-up of individual patients, are the stories of clinical microbiology. One of those stories that first captured my imagination, and ultimately led to a career in clinical microbiology, was that of Joseph Meister, a 9-year old boy living in rural France in 1885.
Case Studies Microbiology
National Science Teaching Association 405 E Laburnum Avenue Ste 3 Richmond, VA 23222 (T) 703.524.3646 (F) 703.243.7177
Case Study
Clinical Case Study. You are a pathologist working in the lab at Daigger Memorial Hospital (located in central Oregon). The emergency room is sending you cultures collected from patients. Your job is to determine: The pathogenic bacteria causing the disease. What disease is being presented. What is the best treatment given the patient's ...
Medical Microbiology Laboratory Case Studies
The purpose of this laboratory exercise is to give students the opportunity to use the basic knowledge and techniques (Gram stain, biochemical reactions, etc.) gained in a medical or allied health microbiology laboratory in a series of practical, "hands-on" simulated patient scenarios. Three case studies will test students' knowledge of the pathogens of the gastrointestinal, respiratory, and ...
Infectious Disease Case Study
Caused by one of three types of closely related viruses, flu can come on quickly, with chills, fatigue, headache and body aches. A high fever and severe cough may develop. Flu may be prevented in some cases through a vaccine. However, since the viruses that cause flu change slightly from year to year, a new vaccine is required each flu season.
Epidemiology Exam Sample Questions: Case-Control Studies
2220MED Epidemiology Exam sample Questions (Multiple Choice Questions) Part I Multiple Choice Questions 1. The following table displays the results from a case-control study. What is the fraction of cases with the disease among the exposed that is attributable to the exposure? Disease No disease Exposed 9 5 Unexposed 7 17 a. 0.27 b. 0.60 c. 0.30 d. 0.77 2. If you want to know the proportion of ...