Marsha Rhoades: Case Study 1

1
Marsha Rhoades Case Study 1

• Presented by
• Lynsie Kamppi, Del Marie Patton and Maureen
  Horsch

2
The Patient

• 25 year old female
• Fatigue
• Unproductive cough
• Fever of 101
• RBC count of 2.9 million/cc3
• Clouding in the lungs

3
Questions

• Is the patient a smoker?
• Is the patient sexually active and is there any
  possibility of pregnancy?
• Does the patient have a normal menstrual cycle?
• What is the patients occupation?
• How long has these symptoms been occurring?
• Has the patient had any extreme weight loss?
• Does the patient have any family history of
  anemia or any other blood disorders?
• Does the patient have any allergies?
• Is the patient currently taking any medications?

4
Hypothesis

• According to Marshas symptoms, we believe she is
  possibly anemic and could have valley fever.
• She may have mononucleosis causing the flu like
  symptoms.
• Another differential diagnoses could be the
  beginning symptoms of myoplasma pneumonia.
• Marsha may have possibly come into contact with
  tuberculosis.
• She may have also inhaled some highly toxic
  chemical, such as pulmonary anthrax.

5
Experiment

• Marsha should have a hematocrit test to determine
  which type of anemia she has.
• Another CBC test should be done to see if her
  infection is bacterial, fungal, or viral.
• A differential blood test should be done which
  would show an increase in any of the white blood
  cells.
• Another x-ray should be done to check the
  clouding in her lungs.
• Also a TB test to rule out tuberculosis.

6
Ruling out Possibilities

• Anthrax was ruled out because of lack of lesions
  and there has only been one case study reported
  in the U.S.
• Tuberculosis was ruled out by no chest pain or
  weight loss.
• Mononucleosis was also ruled out by the blood
  test results.
• Myoplasm pneumonia was ruled out because the
  x-ray showed no congestion.

7
Conclusion

• We have concluded that Marsha Rhoades has the
  early onset of Valley Fever and is anemic.

8
Works Cited Page

• Anemia. Tabers Cyclopedia Medical Dictionary.
  1997 ed.19.
• Bauman, Robert W. Ph.D. Microbiology Alternate
  Edition with Diseases by Body System. San
  Francisco Pearson, 2006
• Hrinda, Jack. Telephone interview. 08 February
  2006.