A 38-year–old man reported to the emergency room with a comp…
A 38-year–old man reported to the emergency room with a complaint of fever, headache, difficulty swallowing, jaw discomfort, and inability to open his mouth fully for 3 days. He also said he had recently struck his right shin with a hammer while attempting to fix his lawn mower. The hammer had penetrated deeply through the skin, and although the wound hurt and bled, he had not sought medical attention. The patient had no history of medical or surgical procedures, had no known allergies, and was not taking medications. The patient also stated he had painful muscle stiffness and difficulty breathing. The attending physician noted an irregular heartbeat and elevated temperature. Patient samples tested positive for toxin and gram positive spore-forming bacilli. A. Name the bacterium (genus and species name) that caused this infection. B. What disease does the patient have? C. Explain your reasoning. D. Name the toxin this bacterium produces and explain how it causes disease. E. Explain how this could have been prevented.