Question

A retired contract administrator who enjoyed gardening sought medical attention for what appeared to be a sinus infection. He received antimicrobials but the conditioned worsened and he was experiencing severe painful spasms in his jaw. He admitted to injuring himself with a gardening tool while wearing sandals in the yard but did not seek medical attention for the wound. The man is likely experiencing.

A. allergic rhinitis.
B. meningitis.
C. septic shock.
D. LPS-mediated inflammatory response.
E. intoxication caused by a focal C. tetani infection.

Answer 1

The correct answer is E. intoxication caused by a focal C. tetani infection.

Step-by-step explanation:

Clostridium tetani bacteria are found in the soil, in the feces and in the mouths of animals. The disease is acquired when wounds become infected by the bacteria. The spores become active and spread throughout the body producing a poison called tetanus toxin. This toxin blocks the nerve signals from the spinal cord to the muscles and can cause generalized severe muscle spasms (lockjaw) exacerbated by external stimuli or muscle spasms in areas adjacent to the wound.