Question

Case study 5.2 jamie is a 42-year old women who comess into the emergency department complaining of painful swelling, drainage, and redness over the past 5 days in the left hand. She spends a lot of time outdoors nasty" mosquito bite on the top of that hand before the swelling started. After 3 days of increased swell ing and redness, she went to her doctor and received an oral antibiotic and was told it was probably a mild infection from the insect bite. Now, she presents because her hand is increasingly painful, tight, and the drainage has worsened. She noticed that she had a fever this morning of 102.9°F. Laboratory test re. sults today show a WBC count of 18,500. After intra- venous antibiotic treatment and hospitalization, the wound culture is found to be positive for methicillin- resistant S. aureus (MRSA). From your reading and experience regarding infectious processes, answer the following questions:

1. Outline the process that is most likely occurring in Jamie's body.
2. What is the probable source of this infection?
3. What would you expect for local and systemic clinical manifestations?
4. What diagnostic tests were used or could be used? How could you differentiate between viral or bac- terial pathogens?
5. What additional treatment measures would you anticipate? How is MRSA treated differently than nonresistant pathogens? 6. What would be the potential complications?

Answer 1

Jamie is likely experiencing a severe bacterial infection from a mosquito bite, with the wound culture confirming MRSA. MRSA treatments differ from other bacterial infections due to its resistance to common antibiotics. Complications can be severe, including the spread of infection.

Step-by-step explanation:

Understanding Jamie's Condition

The process that is most likely occurring in Jamie's body involves the development of a serious bacterial infection. The MRSA infection, common in wounds, likely began as a simple skin infection from the mosquito bite but has progressed into a more severe condition, characterized by symptoms such as painful swelling, drainage, redness, and fever. The high white blood cell count indicates a significant immune response to the infection.

Source and Manifestations of Infections

The probable source of the infection is the initial insect bite, which was the entry point for the bacteria. We expect local clinical manifestations such as pain, redness, swelling, and discharge, and systemic signs like fever and an elevated white blood cell count.

Diagnostic Tests

Several diagnostic tests were used, including a blood test to measure white blood cell count and a wound culture that confirmed the presence of MRSA. To differentiate between viral and bacterial pathogens, tests such as Gram staining or PCR can be employed.

Treatment and Potential Complications

Treatment measures for MRSA include intravenous antibiotics that are effective against this resistant strain. MRSA requires a different treatment approach compared to nonresistant pathogens due to its resistance to commonly used antibiotics. Complications of MRSA can include the spread of the infection to the bloodstream or other areas, leading to more severe health issues.