Tuesday, November 06, 2007

purulent nasal discharge

A 32 year old woman comes into the office with yellow nasal discharge for one week. She has also had a headache during this time. Physical exam shows tenderness over the frontal sinus and an inability to transilluminate the frontal sinuses. The maxillary sinuses are non-tender. CT of head shows opacification of the frontal sinus.
What pathogens can cause this condition?
A) Moraxella
B) Cocciodides
C) Respiratory Synctial Virus
D) S. pneumoniae
E) Haemophilus species
What is the first line of treatment?
A) Penicillin
B) Amoxicillin
C) Second generation Cephalosporin
D) Tetracylcine

Answer: This patient with nasal discharge and frontal sinus tenderness most likely has sinusitis. Common pathogens include Haemophilus species and S. pneumonia. Treatment can be begin with amoxicillin or second-generation cephalosporin.

Sources:1. Brochert, Adam. Crush Step 2. 2nd. Philadelphia: Hanley & Belfus, 2003.2.
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