Fahrenheit Case Study #7
He also had a swollen, red area on his right calf that when palpated felt warm and tender. Tom’s heart rate was elevated and he had vomited twice before arrival. While gathering information from Tom, he mentions he has been hospital in Madison, Wisconsin. He was complaining of shortness of breath and had a fever of 100.8 undergoing chemotherapy to get rid of any remaining colon cancer he had treated months ago (it was degrees On November 1, 2016, a 67 year-old male, Tom Preston, arrived at the emergency department of Stage 2 when treated). He is an avid outdoorsman that enjoys playing golf and fishing in his free time, especially now that he is retired. Blood tests reveal septicemia but it is unknown what is the specific agent – thus, the ideal antibiotic therapy may be difficult to find.
At other hospitals throughout Wisconsin, five other people have presented with similar symptoms. All were over the age of 65 and had a serious co-morbidity. Two of the patients also reported chills. Each hospital has had difficulty in determining the specific agent that may be causing these illnesses.
Where would you like to do more sampling? Geographical (e.g. bodies of water, soil, etc.) Why?