A 32-Year-Old Man Comes to the Emergency Department Due to a 2-Day

question 262

Multiple Choice

A 32-year-old man comes to the emergency department due to a 2-day history of progressive difficulty walking and tingling in his feet.  He says that his feet feel "like they've gone to sleep" and states that he tripped while walking this morning.  Medical history is unremarkable except for an episode of acute diarrhea 2 weeks ago that resolved spontaneously.  The patient takes no medications.  He drinks 1-2 alcoholic beverages daily and does not use tobacco products or illicit drugs.  Vital signs are within normal limits.  Physical examination shows decreased muscular strength in the lower extremities bilaterally with absent deep tendon reflexes.  Which of the following agents is most likely associated with this patient's condition?

• A)Campylobacter jejuni
• B)Rotavirus
• C)Salmonella
• D)Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli
• E)Shigella
• F)Zika virus

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Definitions:

Cultural Practices

The shared activities, rituals, and norms that define the lifestyle of a particular group or society.

Biological Evolution

The process by which species of organisms undergo change over time through genetic variation and natural selection, leading to the emergence of new species.

Punctuated Equilibria

A model of macroevolutionary change that suggests evolution occurs via long periods of stability or stasis punctuated by periods of rapid change.

Darwinian Gradualism

The theory proposed by Charles Darwin that evolution occurs through the gradual accumulation of small genetic changes over time.