Channel Your Inner Dr. House and Solve This Medical Mystery With Me From My Days as a Lab Tech
Work with pigs? Afraid of fluoride? Then read this!
The Patient
A 50-something male presented to the emergency department with severe abdominal pain, bloating, and a history of watery diarrhea for the past two weeks. The patient reported intermittent low-grade fevers during this period. He worked as a farmer, owning a pig farm adjacent to his home. No other family members reported any symptoms of illness.
The Physical Examination
On examination, the patient appeared uncomfortable and mildly dehydrated. His vital signs were as follows:
- Temperature: 38.1°C (slightly elevated)
- Blood pressure: 110/70 mmHg (low end of normal)
- Heart rate: 92 beats per minute (slightly elevated)
- Respiratory rate: 18 breaths per minute (normal)
The emergency room physician performed an abdominal examination and noted a distended abdomen tender to palpation (touching/tapping), with mild guarding (reaction to the touching), but no rebound tenderness (pain when the pressure applied by hand is released). Bowel sounds were hyperactive, meaning his…
