Case Study Scenario

Project: Case Study Scenario
Addresses Course Outcomes #1, #2, #3
recognize the use of the scientific method to weigh evidence, make decisions, and solve problems
apply knowledge of cellular and molecular processes to understand infectious disease mechanisms
synthesize knowledge of microbial pathogenesis and disease prevention methods and communicate this knowledge to the community
A scientific case study is a short summary of an event or personal experience that ends in a “mystery”—in this case, one that you will solve using your own research and the clues provided within the case study. For this project, you will evaluate a patient-centered case study that explores a mysterious bacterial or viral illness. The case study will include a set of questions to guide your analysis.
The Case Study: A 6-year-old boy named Tommy was brought to the local urgent-care clinic by his parents. Tommy complained of chills and sore throat, he also had a fever of 102.5 degrees F. The doctor noticed Tommy’s tonsils were red, swollen and coated with a white patchy exudate. His neck lymph nodes were also swollen and tender to the touch when palpated. A sample was collected from Tommy’s throat and was sent to the lab for analysis. Preliminary results came back with results indicating a Gram-positive bacterial species. This species also exhibited beta hemolysis when tested on sheep’s blood agar.
Based on the information presented in the case study, answer the following questions in your paper (see guidelines below for additional info):
What microorganism do you believe is to blame for this illness (full name)? Provide background information on this organism, history, morphology, virulence factors, toxins, etc…
What information from the patient’s symptoms contributed to your decision? What information from the patient’s history and/or lab samples that contributed to your diagnosis? Support your answers with factual evidence and logical reasoning. Identify at least one other logical possible microbial culprit and explain how this was ruled out.
What is the epidemiology of this disease? Identify risk factors for this disease and describe the disease course/outcome in humans.
What steps can be taken to treat the illness? How and why are the treatments effective (or ineffective)? Are there any concerns or other complications of this disease?

Paper format:
Once you have gathered the needed information, organize your case study analysis into an essay of 1,000 to 1,500 words.
Your paper should include the following:
Title Page (5 points):
Your Name, Date, Course, Semester and Professor’s name
Introduction (30 points): Background information about the disease and the bacterial or viral cause of the disease.
Discussion of Case Study (40 points): The answers to the case study questions posted above should be answered (in paragraph format) in your paper in a logical, well-organized manner. Think of the questions as a guide to help you with the content of your paper. Evidence from the case study should clearly and accurately be used to justify your conclusion, and at least one other logical microbial cause should identified, fully discussed and excluded based on the evidence provided.
References (10 points): You must have a minimum of two (2) outside sources to support your evolution. Use in-text citations and references in APA style at the end of the paper. These can consist of any of the following: books, textbooks, scholarly journal articles, and websites run by reputable government organizations (such as the CDC or NIH). You may use additional references as well. References should be no more than 6 years old. You should include BOTH in-text citations and a final reference page formatted in APA style.
Mechanics (10 points): Your paper should be well-written, well organized, and demonstrate a logical flow of information. Binomial nomenclature should be appropriately used for all genus/species names. The paper should also be spell-checked and grammatically correct.
Length (5 points): 1,000 to 1,500 words, not including references, titles, etc.

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