Mr. Stringfellow Hawke is a 30 year old, local fishing guide who is admitted to the hospital with signs and symptoms as follows: neck stiffness, nausea, vomitting, fever (103F), drowsiness, eye pain when exposed to light, and confusion. Suspecting viral encephalitis, bacterial meningitis, syphilis, or poliomyelitis, Dr. Charles Hemlock orders a CT scan of the brain and lumbar puncture (spinal tap).
CT Scan reveals swelling.
Spinal tap results are as follows: Color: Cloudy, turbid Osmolarity: 280 mOsm/l pH: 7.35
Specific Gravity: 1.007 Leukocyte count: Raised Neutrophils Erythrocyte Count: Normal
Antibodies, viral DNA: None Bacteria (Gram Stain): Cocci Present Cancerous Cells: None
Bacteria (VDRL Test): None Crytococcal Antigen: None
Polymerase Chain Reaction for Herpes Simplex Virus, Epstein-Bar Virus, Varicella-Zoster Virus, & Cytomegalovirus: Negative
1. Based upon the CT Scan and Spinal Tap results, what is the disease diagnosis for Mr. Hawke?
2. Which lab result(s) caused you to make this diagnosis?
3. If the state has a total population of 1 million people, what is the incidence per 100,000 people if 100 people have been diagnosed with the disease? ?
4. What is the usual method of treatment for this disease?