Question 1

Sputum specimen for routine culture and antibiotic susceptibility

Pretend that you are clinical microbiologist working at a 350-bed community hospital. You have received a sputum specimen in a sterile container that has approximately 18 ml of sputum that contains very few squamous epithelial cells per 100x (high powered field) of the patient's sample. However there were many white blood cells (WBCs). Another similar sample was sent to the TB laboratory for a diagnostic workup.

Using the Internet or an authoritative microbiology textbook or laboratory manual describe in 350 to 500 words exactly which media would you use to inoculate a portion of the specimen and under what conditions would you incubate such as specimen and for how long. Assuming that you isolated large amounts of Streptococcus pnuemoniae describe how they would appear under the microscope following the Gram stain. Describe how the organism would appear on the various media. What would you do to confirm and identify Streptococcus pnuemoniae?

Alternatively, you may, if you wish, describe how you would isolate and identify another bacterial respiratory pathogen such as Haemophilus influenzae, Staphylococcus aureus, Group A beta hemolytic Streptococcus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa or Klebsiella pnuemoniae.

Include at least two quality references. Any references used should be properly cited following APA formatting guidelines.

Question 2

Urine specimen for Routine Culture

Pretend that you are clinical microbiologist working at a 350-bed community hospital. You have received a urine specimen in a sterile "clean catch" container, which has been refrigerated and contains approximately 50 ml of urine that is cloudy. Another similar sample was sent to the general clinical laboratory for a routine urinalysis.

Using the Internet or an authoritative microbiology text book or laboratory manual describe in 350 to 500 words exactly which media would you use to inoculate a portion of the urine specimen and under what conditions would you incubate such as specimen and for how long. Assuming that you isolated large amounts of Escherichia coli describe how they would appear under the microscope following the Gram stain of one of the colonies that grew up on an Eosin Methylene Blue Agar plate (EMB). Describe how the organism would appear on EMB and the various media. What would you do to confirm and identify Escherichia coli.

Alternatively, you may, if you wish, describe how you would isolate and identify another bacterial urinary pathogen such as Enterobacter aerogenes, Morganella morganii, Proteus mirabilis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa or Enterococcus faecium. If you choose to use one of the rapid diagnostic methods such as the Enterotube II, API RapiD 20E, bioMérieux Vitek, please describe the biochemical reactions that you would expect to find with your organism.

Please share your findings and include at least two quality references.

Any references used should be properly cited following APA formatting guidelines.

Question 3

What do you think the value of chemistry classes is (can be) in a person's life? >

What about their importance (if any) to you as a student in general, especially if one isn't pursuing a career in the sciences?

What about their importance to prospective Heathcare Professionals?

Give specific examples if you can and as is common practice for discussion questions, be substantive and professional in your reports and any responses to your classmates proery citing any outside sources

Question 4

REPORT, substantive and professional, on any chemistry focused topic you find interesting as a result of what you are reading / learning in topics such as amines, amides, amino acids, and proteins. what I am looking for, like in any and all DISCUSSION QUESTIONS, is for you to do some outside research (cited and from a reliable source ie Huffington Post, the Des Moines Register etc. are not scientifically reliable sources of info ) that focuses on chemistry first, healthcare second but can be as it pertains to just about any topical concern. Want even more extra credit? SHOW ME THE CHEMISTRY that you are learning ...

Question 5

Review the information about urinary tract infections (UTIs) at the following website: http://kidney.niddk.nih.gov/kudiseases/pubs/utiadult/.

Write a response to the following discussion question in the discussion forum:

Where you aware of the prevalence of UTIs in the population?

What do researchers say is the reason for UTIs to be more common in females than in males?

Where do the organisms come from that cause UTIs?

Note. Initial answers to the discussion question must be substantive and in the range of 350-500 words. Include at least two scholarly references in your response. All references used should be properly cited following APA formatting guidelines.

Question 6

Write a response to the following discussion question in the discussion forum:

After eating an undercooked hamburger, a 25-year-old male developed diarrhea due to infection with a strain of Escherichia coli that produces a shigatoxin. How would this affect his blood pH, urine pH, and respiratory rate?

Note. Initial answers to the discussion question must be substantive and in the range of 350-500 words. Include at least two scholarly references in your response. All references used should be properly cited following APA formatting guidelines.

Question 7

Review the cancers related to the male and female reproductive systems at the following website: http://www.health.ny.gov/statistics/cancer/registry/vol1.htm

Write a response to the following discussion question in the discussion forum:

What surprises you about the data available on this website?

What do you find interesting about the array of data?

Note. Initial answers to the discussion question must be substantive and in the range of 350-500 words. Include at least two scholarly references in your response. All references used should be properly cited following APA formatting guidelines.

Question 8

Write a response to the following discussion question in the discussion forum:

Describe one of the common sexually transmitted diseases. How can it be prevented? What treatment options may be appropriate to treat the STD you described?

Note. Initial answers to the discussion question must be substantive and in the range of 350-500 words. Include at least two scholarly references in your response. All references used should be properly cited following APA formatting guidelines

Question 9

Write a response to the following discussion question in the discussion forum:

After reading about pre-implantation genetic diagnosis, what are your thoughts about PGD?

Note. Initial answers to the discussion question must be substantive and in the range of 300-500 words. Include at least two scholarly references in your response. All references used should be properly cited following APA formatting guidelines.

Question 10

Write a response to the following discussion question in the discussion forum:

Describe one of the methods of prenatal testing, such as ultrasound, chorionic villus sampling, and amniocentesis. Why might a health care provider request each of these tests?

Note. Initial answers to the discussion question must be substantive and in the range of 350-500 words. Include at least two scholarly references in your response. All references used should be properly cited following APA formatting guidelines.

Case study 1

A 68-year old patient with Alzheimer disease was brought to the emergency room by the staff of a local nursing home. He presented as lethargic with a sallow complexion. He had an admission temperature of 102.4° F and a respiratory rate of 33/minute. During respiration, the right side of his chest moved better than the left. He showed dense consolidation of the lower lobe of the left lung on physical exam. A sputum sample revealed blood and a greenish color.

A chest x-ray showed tight consolidation of the left lung with evidence of formation of cavities in the lung tissue from cytotoxic damage. The patient complained of chills in the exam room, combined with his fever. A smear of his sputum demonstrated no acid-fast bacteria.

Directions: Answer the following questions in your own words.

1. What is your presumptive diagnosis for this case?

2. What evidence could the sputum give for this case?

3. Is the increased respiration rate and unequal chest movement indicative of the pathology?

4. Is this a bacterial or viral disease?