Ethel is a 76 year old widow. She has a history of hypertension (treated with a thiazide diuretic and a calcium channel blocker), hyperlipidemia (treated with an HMGCoA reductase inhibitor), and obesity. Apart from this, she has been relatively healthy, and plays an active role with her 3 grandchildren as well as her church. Unfortunately, over the past few years, she has had increasing difficulty walking because of pain from osteoarthritis in her hips (especially her right hip) and, to a lesser extent, her knees. She therefore undergoes a right total hip arthroplasty. After 6 days in hospital, she is transferred to the rehab ward for further physiotherapy to improve her mobility. Five weeks into her rehab stay she develops a fever of 38.7 C. Additionally her physiotherapist has noticed that over the past 7-8 days Ethel has been less willing to participate in her exercises due to complaints of pain in her right hip. Concerned about Ethel's fever, the nurses give her acetaminophen and call the attending physiatrist to assess the patient for a potential infectious source.

Ethel is a 76 year old widow. She has a history of hypertension (treated with a thiazide diuretic and a calcium channel blocker), hyperlipidemia (treated with an HMGCoA reductase inhibitor), and obesity. Apart from this, she has been relatively healthy, and plays an active role with her 3 grandchildren as well as her church. Unfortunately, over the past few years, she has had increasing difficulty walking because of pain from osteoarthritis in her hips (especially her right hip) and, to a lesser extent, her knees. She therefore undergoes a right total hip arthroplasty. After 6 days in hospital, she is transferred to the rehab ward for further physiotherapy to improve her mobility. Five weeks into her rehab stay she develops a fever of 38.7 C. Additionally her physiotherapist has noticed that over the past 7-8 days Ethel has been less willing to participate in her exercises due to complaints of pain in her right hip. Concerned about Ethel's fever, the nurses give her acetaminophen and call the attending physiatrist to assess the patient for a potential infectious source.

Melissa is a 35-year-old mother of three who works in marketing. She is being seen in consultation by the Internal Medicine service while admitted to Thoracic Surgery for an empyema. Three months prior she began to have cough with intermittent fevers and chills. She has been treated as an outpatient by her family doctor with Amoxicillin, Azithromycin and Levofloxacin over this time. Her symptoms would initially improve but would return within days of completing her antibiotic course. Her condition continued to worsen until this admission. On review of her past history, she has chronic facial pain and pressure with frequent purulent discharge, and typically has 2-3 sinus infections per year requiring antibiotics. She has never had pneumonia before this year. She has never received pneumococcal vaccination. She received her childhood immunization series and had her last tetanus and diphtheria booster 4 years ago. She has been re-vaccinated for measles, mumps, rubella twice, after prenatal evaluation deemed her non-immune. Prior to onset of these symptoms, her only medication was the oral contraceptive pill. In addition to leaving recommendations to manage her empyema, you wonder about her history of recurrent sinusitis and recent pneumonias. As such, you order some screening bloodwork.

Melissa is a 35-year-old mother of three who works in marketing. She is being seen in consultation by the Internal Medicine service while admitted to Thoracic Surgery for an empyema. Three months prior she began to have cough with intermittent fevers and chills. She has been treated as an outpatient by her family doctor with Amoxicillin, Azithromycin and Levofloxacin over this time. Her symptoms would initially improve but would return within days of completing her antibiotic course. Her condition continued to worsen until this admission. On review of her past history, she has chronic facial pain and pressure with frequent purulent discharge, and typically has 2-3 sinus infections per year requiring antibiotics. She has never had pneumonia before this year. She has never received pneumococcal vaccination. She received her childhood immunization series and had her last tetanus and diphtheria booster 4 years ago. She has been re-vaccinated for measles, mumps, rubella twice, after prenatal evaluation deemed her non-immune. Prior to onset of these symptoms, her only medication was the oral contraceptive pill. In addition to leaving recommendations to manage her empyema, you wonder about her history of recurrent sinusitis and recent pneumonias. As such, you order some screening bloodwork.

As you head off to lunch after wrapping up your morning clinic, you peruse your afternoon schedule and note that the first patient is someone you have not seen in three years. You therefore grab his chart to review his history. P.J. Peters is a 34-year-old male who immigrated from Uganda 10 years ago. Four years ago, he presented with a dry cough and mild shortness of breath. Given that you had noted a few crackles in his lower lungs bilaterally, you had prescribed him antibiotics for pneumonia. In spite, of therapy his symptoms progressed over a 2-3 week period and he landed in the emergency. A chest x-ray at the time revealed a bilateral interstitial infiltrate. Due to progressive hypoxia he underwent a bronchoalveolar lavage which revealed he had pneumocystis jiroveci pneumonia (PJP or PCP). This raised the suspicion of underlying HIV and his serology was sent off and came back positive. On further questioning, he admitted to a 2 year period in his life in his early 20s where he had unprotected sex with multiple partners.

When you see Mr. Peters next, you learn that he had continued to take his HAART faithfully an additional 6 months after he last saw you. He had been feeling physically well and figured his virus was under control (as he recalled it had last been "non-detectable") and so began questioning the need to continue his medications. He was concerned about long-term side effects of therapy and figured he could diminish his risk by reducing his exposure to HAART. Moreover he had started a new job around that time and did not want anyone to inadvertently find out about his diagnosis of HIV. He therefore elected to stop taking his anti-retrovirals. Mr. Peters was reluctant to tell his physicians about his decision and so he had not come back for his follow ups. He returns today complaining of a new painful rash on his chest that appeared 2 days prior. Additionally he notes a 3-month history of increasing fatigue as well as intermittent fevers, night sweats and a 20 lb weight loss. On examination his temperature is 37.2º C, blood pressure 135/80, pulse 79. There are 2 cm nodes palpable in the cervical and axillary areas bilaterally. His throat is clear. When you examine his chest you notice a vesicular rash over the right side of his chest extending from the midline towards his right axilla at the level of his nipple. Examination of his respiratory and cardiovascular system are unremarkable. His abdomen is soft with no palpable masses or organomegaly. Examination of his extremities is unremarkable.

Melissa is a 35-year-old mother of three who works in marketing. She is being seen in consultation by the Internal Medicine service while admitted to Thoracic Surgery for an empyema. Three months prior she began to have cough with intermittent fevers and chills. She has been treated as an outpatient by her family doctor with Amoxicillin, Azithromycin and Levofloxacin over this time. Her symptoms would initially improve but would return within days of completing her antibiotic course. Her condition continued to worsen until this admission. On review of her past history, she has chronic facial pain and pressure with frequent purulent discharge, and typically has 2-3 sinus infections per year requiring antibiotics. She has never had pneumonia before this year. She has never received pneumococcal vaccination. She received her childhood immunization series and had her last tetanus and diphtheria booster 4 years ago. She has been re-vaccinated for measles, mumps, rubella twice, after prenatal evaluation deemed her non-immune. Prior to onset of these symptoms, her only medication was the oral contraceptive pill. In addition to leaving recommendations to manage her empyema, you wonder about her history of recurrent sinusitis and recent pneumonias. As such, you order some screening bloodwork.

Ethel is a 76 year old widow. She has a history of hypertension (treated with a thiazide diuretic and a calcium channel blocker), hyperlipidemia (treated with an HMGCoA reductase inhibitor), and obesity. Apart from this, she has been relatively healthy, and plays an active role with her 3 grandchildren as well as her church. Unfortunately, over the past few years, she has had increasing difficulty walking because of pain from osteoarthritis in her hips (especially her right hip) and, to a lesser extent, her knees. She therefore undergoes a right total hip arthroplasty. After 6 days in hospital, she is transferred to the rehab ward for further physiotherapy to improve her mobility. Five weeks into her rehab stay she develops a fever of 38.7 C. Additionally her physiotherapist has noticed that over the past 7-8 days Ethel has been less willing to participate in her exercises due to complaints of pain in her right hip. Concerned about Ethel's fever, the nurses give her acetaminophen and call the attending physiatrist to assess the patient for a potential infectious source.