Article Abstract:
A 35-year-old man was admitted to a hospital with fever and a mass in his abdomen. He was a native of West Africa so his doctors suspected tuberculosis, malaria and a host of other infectious diseases. His immune system was suppressed, indicating that he may have HIV infection. He tested positive for HIV. A biopsy of the mass in his abdomen was cultured on bacterial media and grew Mycobacterium avium complex. This bacterial infection is common in AIDS patients. He was treated with antibiotics.
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Article Abstract:
A 42-year old woman with a history of asthma and the irritable bowel syndrome presented with pain and swelling of her feet and ankles that were associated with a rash on her lower extremities. Nine months of isoniazid therapy and close clinical follow-up were important features of the patient's care and an initial diagnosis of erythema nodosum provided an early 'footprint' of tuberculosis in this case.
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Article Abstract:
A 22-year-old man contracted malaria after a six-week stay in South America. He had no symptoms until about three months after he returned, so his doctors did not initially suspect malaria. However, he was infected with Plasmodium vivax, which can remain in a latent state for long periods of time.
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