Hy 2455 That Table on Diarrhea in First Aid is VERY high yield…
Now, pretend a 13-year-old girl presents to the emergency department with the sudden onset of watery diarrhea tinged with blood. There is no travel history. PMH is completely normal. Her only medications are topical benzoyl peroxide and oral clindamycin for acne vulgaris. The PE shows a slightly distended abdomen that is diffusely tender. Her temperature is 101F. She has not been exposed to any uncooked meat and has not eaten any unusual foods. Which of the following is the most likely diagnosis?
1-IBD
2-Giardiasis infection
3-Clostridum difficile infection
4-Gastroenteritis
5-Ulcerative colitis
















































































a) ans is #3. Pseudomembranous enterocolitis is caused by the toxins produced by Clostridium difficile. It occurs in some patients after treatment with antibiotics (especially clindamycin, cephalosporins, and amoxicillin). Patients develop fever and abdominal pain with diarrhea containing leukocytes and blood. Gastroenteritis is an acute condition, usually caused by a virus, that presents with vomiting and diarrhea. There is typically no blood in diarrhea associated with gastroenteritis. Irritable bowel syndrome is a chronic condition that produces episodic diarrhea with periods of constipation. There often is blood in the diarrhea but it is not associated with a fever. Ulcerative colitis is a chronic condition that has features of bloody diarrhea, abdominal pain, and weight loss.