Final answer:
The patient with abdominal pain, cramps, and watery stools likely has a C. difficile infection, which can occur after antibiotic treatment for conditions like chronic tonsillitis. A NAAT is used to diagnose this infection, which requires prompt treatment due to the risk of severe complications.
Step-by-step explanation:
A patient receiving antibiotics for chronic tonsillitis who experiences abdominal pain and cramps, along with frequent watery stools, likely has an infection known as Clostridioides difficile (also known as C. difficile or C. diff). This is a bacterial infection that can occur following the use of antibiotics, which can disrupt the normal flora of the gut, allowing C. difficile to proliferate and cause symptoms such as watery diarrhea, abdominal cramping, and sometimes fever. The antibiotics kill both harmful and beneficial bacteria, and without the normal bacterial balance, C. difficile can take hold.
In cases like these, a healthcare provider might use a nucleic acid amplification test (NAAT) to diagnose a C. difficile infection. It is crucial that this condition is promptly identified and treated, as it can lead to severe dehydration and, in some cases, life-threatening complications. The treatment involves stopping the antibiotic that triggered the infection, if possible, and starting a course of specific antibiotics to target the C. difficile bacteria.