A 43-year-old woman was admitted to the hospital because she was found to have right lower lobe pneumonia. Her teeth were badly decayed and she had a history of poorly controlled seizures. Antibiotic treatment using clindamycin was prescribed. Within three days, her pneumonia was much improved. However, by the 7th day of antibiotic therapy, she had recurrence of fever, diarrhea, and abdominal tenderness. The BEST course of action is to:
A. Draw blood cultures and increase the IV fluids
B. Evaluate the stool for toxin using EIA and change antibiotics to metronidazole
C. Send a stool sample for culture and change antibiotics to a quinolone
D. Send a stool sample for fecal leukocytes and treat with a different antibiotic only if it is positive
Answer:B
A 43-year-old woman was admitted to the hospital because she was found to have right lower lobe pneumonia. Her teeth were badly decayed and she had a history of poorly controlled seizures. Antibiotic treatment using clindamycin was prescribed. Within three days, her pneumonia was much improved. However, by the 7th day of antibiotic therapy, she had recurrence of fever, diarrhea, and abdominal tenderness. The BEST course of action is to:
A. Draw blood cultures and increase the IV fluids B. Evaluate the stool for toxin using EIA and change antibiotics to metronidazole C. Send a stool sample for culture and change antibiotics to a quinolone D. Send a stool sample for fecal leukocytes and treat with a different antibiotic only if it is positive