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A 44-Year-Old Man Comes to the Office Due to Concern

question 299

Multiple Choice

A 44-year-old man comes to the office due to concern for hepatitis infection. The patient donated blood at an office blood drive event, and a few days later received a letter saying that hepatitis testing performed on his sample was positive. He has no chronic medical issues and feels healthy. He takes no medications. The patient does not smoke cigarettes and drinks alcohol at social events. He used injection drugs for several years in his 20s but not since then. He is in a monogamous relationship with his wife, who is also healthy. The patient works in a car dealership and is fairly active. Family history is significant only for hypertension in his father. Vital signs are normal. The sclerae are anicteric and mucous membranes are moist with no lesions. No lymphadenopathy is present. Lung fields are clear to auscultation and heart sounds are normal with no murmur. The abdomen is soft, nondistended, and nontender. There is no hepatomegaly or splenomegaly. He has no skin rash or extremity edema. Laboratory results are as follows: Which of the following is the best next step in management of this patient?

Definitions:

Activation of Receptors

The process by which receptors on the cell surface or inside the cell are engaged by specific stimuli, leading to a cellular response.

Sensation

The process by which sensory receptors and the nervous system receive and represent stimulus energies from the environment.

Minimal Stimulus

The smallest level of stimulation that can be detected or that elicits a response from an organism.

Absolute Threshold

The minimum intensity of a stimulus that one can detect 50% of the time, delineating the boundary between detectable and undetectable sensations.