12th August 2024

A 19-year-old student is brought in by ambulance after his flatmates become concerned about him

A 19-year-old student is brought in by ambulance after his flatmates become concerned about him. They tell you that he felt unwell last night and went to bed early with a headache which is very unlike him. This morning, he was extremely drowsy and they were unable to wake him up to attend his lacrosse practice. They tell you that they have never seen him take any recreational drugs except for alcohol. He did mention to them that he used to have seizures as a child but that he hasn’t had one in many years. His observations are: HR 126, BP 82/59, Temp 38.4 degrees celsius. On examination, his GCS is 9 (E2, V2, M5). He has cold peripheries, neck stiffness and petechiae are noted on his lower limbs.

What organism is the most likely cause of this patient’s illness?

Select the SINGLE most appropriate option from the list below. Select ONE option only.