A 6-year-old female becomes ill. She has a high fever and joint pain. Her joints become red, swollen, and warm. Her knee joint is involved initially, but then her ankle joint becomes involved. Her mother takes her to her pediatrician. On physical examination, she is found to have a heart murmur. She is also found to have firm, painless nodules on her elbows. Her doctor orders several laboratory tests and an EKG. Her laboratory results are as follows: TEST RESULTS REFERENCE RANGE Hematocrit 39 35-45 (age 6-12) Hemoglobin 13.9 gm/dL 11.5-15.5 gm/dL (age 6-12) Mean corpuscular volume 83 cu μ 77-95 cu μ (age 6-12) WBC 16.9 x 103/mm3 5.5-15.5 x 103/mm3 (age 4-7) RBC 4.1 x 106/μl 3.7-5.2 x 106/μl (age 2-14) ESR 41 mm/hr

Which of the following statements best describes the relationship between varicella and herpes zoster?

The causative organism for Lyme disease is _____________________.

A 3-year-old girl presents with a 1-day history of irritability and weakness in her legs. Neurologic exam reveals an ascending symmetrical paralysis with cranial neuropathy. A lumbar puncture is performed and cerebrospinal fluid is found to have a normal glucose level,

Primary infection with this organism in immunocompetent persons typically follows ingestion of raw or undercooked meat. Although most acute infections are asymptomatic, some patients present with a mild febrile illness resembling infectious mononucleosis. What is the most likely causative pathogen for this illness?

A 30-year-old woman presents with a 4-day history of extreme vulvar pruritus and vaginal discharge. The discharge is thick and white, moderate in amount, without associated foul odor. Her PMH is significant for poorly controlled diabetes for 2 years. On external exam, the vulva is erythematous with excoriations and presence of white plaques on the vaginal walls. The diagnosis was confirmed by examination of the wet-mount preparation of the discharge. Which of the following interventions is the most appropriate treatment for this patient?

The patient is a 30-year-old male who presents to the Emergency Department with a recent travel history to Africa where he spent 6 months as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Uganda. His chief complaint is fevers, headache, myalgias, and shaking chills. T 39.6°C (103.3°F). The patient was admitted for observation and further work-up. The patient had documented episodes of fever and chills approximately 3 times a day. Based on this information, which of the following laboratory tests would confirm your diagnostic suspicion?

Clinical manifestations of botulism typically include a descending symmetric flaccid paralysis.

A woman presents to your office after a 6-month sabbatical during which she worked in caves in the eastern part of South America. The patient reports fever, chills, productive cough, and joint stiffness that started 1 month before her return. Physical exam reveals 3 ulcerated lesions on her inner cheek. Which of the following is the most appropriate treatment for this patient?

A 4-year-old boy develops fever and an upper respiratory infection in late December. On physical examination, the pediatrician notes whitish spots in his mouth near his second molars (see image below). A day later the boy develops a rash on his face. The rash consists of reddened macules and papules. Within the next several days, the rash becomes confluent and moves downward over his whole body. Which of the following interventions would be most helpful in confirming the diagnosis of this condition?