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A 33 year old male patient comes to the clinic to discuss his new onset of intermittent loss of vision in his right eye and eye twitching. His wife has also begun to notice that his walking gait pattern has changed over the past week. The patient states that they just came home from a vacation in the tropics where he states, "I swam a lot because it was so hot". What does the NP suspect?

a. Viral conjunctivitis
b. TIA
c. Optic neuritis
d. Orbital cellulitis

User Atmorell
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1 Answer

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Final answer:

The patient's symptoms suggest a possible neurological condition, potentially meningitis, likely related to an infection acquired during his recent tropical vacation. Further medical assessment, including neurological examination and specific tests, would be required for an accurate diagnosis and appropriate treatment.

Step-by-step explanation:

The presentation of the 33-year-old male with new onset of intermittent loss of vision in the right eye, eye twitching, a change in walking gait, and recent travel history suggests a possible neurological condition. Considering the symptoms and the patient's recent activities, like swimming in the tropics, the healthcare provider might suspect a possible infection that could have led to meningitis. Meningitis can cause inflammation around the brain and spinal cord, which can lead to symptoms such as vision loss if there is swelling around the optic nerve. Given that meningitis can sometimes lead to swelling that affects the optic nerve, causing vision changes, this could explain why the patient is experiencing intermittent loss of vision.

An accurate diagnosis would typically require further investigations, including a thorough neurological examination, possibly lumbar puncture for cerebrospinal fluid analysis, and imaging studies to better understand the cause of these clinical findings. It is also crucial to ascertain if the symptoms are indeed due to an infection, which would require targeted treatment such as antibiotics or antivirals based on the identified causative agent.

User Muratiakos
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