After Consuming Alcohol With Raw Beef, a Man Has Seizure, Pain

Aneesh Basheer, MD

Disclosures

December 05, 2022

Editor's Note:
The Case Challenge series includes difficult-to-diagnose conditions, some of which are not frequently encountered by most clinicians but are nonetheless important to accurately recognize. Test your diagnostic and treatment skills using the following patient scenario and corresponding questions. If you have a case that you would like to suggest for a future Case Challenge, please contact us.

Background

A 55-year-old man who has had a high-grade fever, abdominal pain, and loose stools for 1 week is brought to the emergency department. He describes the abdominal pain as diffuse and colicky. The fever is associated with chills and rigors and is alleviated by antipyretics. He reports that the stools are watery and large in volume and have been associated with the passage of blood for the past 3 days.

On the first day of hospitalization, he has an episode of generalized tonic-clonic seizure and then becomes drowsy. During his second day of hospitalization, he returns to consciousness and reports that he consumed raw beef about 10 days earlier. The patient has no history of hematemesis or vomiting. He does not have diabetes or hypertension. For the past 25 years, he has consumed alcohol regularly, about two or three times a week. He has no history of recent travel.

Comments

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