A 68 year old women was admitted to a hospital because of headaches that began a month earlier. She was in good health, prior to developing severe headaches, vertigo, photophobia, lethargy, and forgetfulness. Her temperature was 98.9 degrees F, and she knew her name but not the date. She had some resistance to bending her neck, consistent with mild inflammation of the meninges. She also had past-pointing when reaching for objects. A lumbar puncture revealed a total white blood cell count of 18/microliter ( normal is up to 4) and 75% polymorphonuclear leukocytes. CSF glucose was low suggesting a microbe was present in the subarachnoid space. The lab tech performing the wbc count noticed cells that were not wbc. To investigate further, the tech centrifuged the CSF, and stained the sediment with India ink. The round cell appeared to be budding, much like yeasts. In addition, the cell appeared to have a capsule.
1. What type of microbe could be causing the meningitis? Give one reason to support your answer based on the information provided.
2. Of the following eukaryotic microbes, which one is characterized by having polysaccharide capsules? Candida albicans, Histoplasma capsulatum, Crytococcus neoformans.
In July of 2003 a construction worker came to a hospital in Palm Beach County complaining of fever, headaches, chills, nausea and malaise. After being treated for dehydration he was discharged. Two days later he returned to the hospital with worsening symptoms, and was admitted with a diagnosis of malaria. The next day his blood smear revealed Plasmodium. During July and August a plumber who worked outside, a fisherman who fished in the evenings, a golfer, a homeless individual, a carpenter and an outdoorsman all had Plasmodium infections. Six of the seven men had never traveled to a malarious region, none had had recent blood transfusions or was an IV drug user. Targeted mosquito trapping produced no Plasmodium-infected mosquitoes.
3. What could an epidemiologist infer from the interviews of the seven patients? What disease did all seven have?
4. How is this disease transmitted? How was it transmitted in this case?
A 68 year old women was admitted to a hospital because of headaches that began a month earlier. She was in good health, prior to developing severe headaches, vertigo, photophobia, lethargy, and forgetfulness. Her temperature was 98.9 degrees F, and she knew her name but not the date. She had some resistance to bending her neck, consistent with mild inflammation of the meninges. She also had past-pointing when reaching for objects. A lumbar puncture revealed a total white blood cell count of 18/microliter ( normal is up to 4) and 75% polymorphonuclear leukocytes. CSF glucose was low suggesting a microbe was present in the subarachnoid space. The lab tech performing the wbc count noticed cells that were not wbc. To investigate further, the tech centrifuged the CSF, and stained the sediment with India ink. The round cell appeared to be budding, much like yeasts. In addition, the cell appeared to have a capsule.
1. What type of microbe could be causing the meningitis? Give one reason to support your answer based on the information provided.
2. Of the following eukaryotic microbes, which one is characterized by having polysaccharide capsules? Candida albicans, Histoplasma capsulatum, Crytococcus neoformans.
In July of 2003 a construction worker came to a hospital in Palm Beach County complaining of fever, headaches, chills, nausea and malaise. After being treated for dehydration he was discharged. Two days later he returned to the hospital with worsening symptoms, and was admitted with a diagnosis of malaria. The next day his blood smear revealed Plasmodium. During July and August a plumber who worked outside, a fisherman who fished in the evenings, a golfer, a homeless individual, a carpenter and an outdoorsman all had Plasmodium infections. Six of the seven men had never traveled to a malarious region, none had had recent blood transfusions or was an IV drug user. Targeted mosquito trapping produced no Plasmodium-infected mosquitoes.
3. What could an epidemiologist infer from the interviews of the seven patients? What disease did all seven have?
4. How is this disease transmitted? How was it transmitted in this case?
