Diarrhea - GI infections

Gastro Intestinal Infections

Dr Patsy Lill
Professor Emerita
University of South Carolina School of Medicine

Diarrhea

A 35-year-old woman presented with chronic sinusitis. Previous attempts to clear the infection with a 10 day course of antibiotics had failed twice. She was put on clindomycin for 20 days. The infection improved but she developed diarrhea with 6-8 soft stools per day after 16 days of treatment. Lab tests showed a white count of 32 x 103 /mm3. She had a temperature of 38. Below are images from a similar case.

What is MOST likely causing her diarrhea.?

1. Toxins produced by E. coli and Enterobacter
2. Invasion of the epithelium by E. coli
3. Invasion of the epithelium by C. difficile
4. Toxin produced by C. difficile

ANSWER

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Pathology questions by Dr Patsy Lill