In: Biology
Three weeks after returning from a camping trip to New Mexico, a 25-year-old female developed a fever and severe muscle aches. She also had a dry cough, headaches, nausea, and vomiting. Four days later the symptoms became progressively worse as fluid began to accumulate in her lungs and she went to the emergency room. Microbiological tests are various bacterial pathogens were negative. The patient’s symptoms worsened and she experienced cardiac arrest and died. An epidemiologist was called in to investigate the person’s death (1 pt each).
a. Based on this person’s travel history and clinical signs, what disease (be specific) did she likely have?
b. What type of sample should be run from this patient?
c. What would the epidemiologist be looking for at and near the campsite?
d. What other common pathogen is quite possibly the culprit (hint: unrelated to patient history)?