Question

A person in England arrives at a medical clinic with a fever and swollen lymph nodes shortly after returning from a visit to New Mexico. For which bacteria should the doctor test the patient?; Salmonella enterica

a) Salmonella enterica is not associated with fever
b) Salmonella enterica is a common cause of respiratory infections
c) Salmonella enterica is associated with foodborne illness
d) Salmonella enterica is a virus, not a bacterium

Answer 1

The person should be tested for Salmonella enterica, specifically the serotype Typhi, known to cause typhoid fever. Typhoid fever is characterized by severe symptoms, and proper testing and treatment are crucial for recovery.

Step-by-step explanation:

A person in England who has returned from New Mexico and presents with a fever and swollen lymph nodes should be tested for Salmonella enterica, specifically the serotype Typhi, which causes typhoid fever. Typhoid fever is a serious bacterial infection characterized by high fever, body aches, headache, nausea, lethargy, and sometimes a rash. It is a gram-negative, rod-shaped bacterium that spreads through fecal contamination and can cause severe symptoms such as intestinal hemorrhage, delirium, and dehydration.

Prompt diagnosis and treatment are crucial, so testing for this bacteria, particularly through serotyping, is important because different serotypes can cause varying levels of illness, and appropriate antibiotic treatment such as fluoroquinolones, ceftriaxone, or azithromycin can be administered.