A young adult female patient presents with lower abdominal pain, fever, and abnormal vaginal discharge. She undergoes a nucleic acid amplification test (NAAT) test on material collected by a vaginal swab, which is negative for gonorrhea but positive for another bacterium known to be a common cause of pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) in the USA. What is this bacterium?
Group of answer choices
- Chlamydia trachomatis
- Staphylococcus aureus
- Mycoplasma genitalium
- Gardnerella vaginalis
The correct answer is: Chlamydia trachomatis
Please contact distinguished papers for help with Question 45 / NURS-6501N Advanced Pathophysiology or any other assignment.
Email: distinguishedpapers@yahoo.com
Explanation:
The patient’s symptoms (lower abdominal pain, fever, abnormal vaginal discharge) are classic for pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), and the most common bacterial causes of PID in the U.S. are:
- Chlamydia trachomatis (NAAT-positive in this case).
- Neisseria gonorrhoeae (ruled out by the negative NAAT).
Key Points:
- Chlamydia trachomatis is the #1 cause of PID in the U.S., often presenting with mild or subclinical symptoms.
- NAAT (PCR) is the gold standard for detecting Chlamydia.
- Untreated PID can lead to infertility, ectopic pregnancy, or chronic pelvic pain.
Why Not the Others?
- Mycoplasma genitalium: An emerging cause of PID but less common than Chlamydia.
- Staphylococcus aureus: Associated with toxic shock syndrome or abscesses, not typical PID.
- Gardnerella vaginalis: Causes bacterial vaginosis (BV), not PID (though BV may increase PID risk).
Treatment for PID:
- Empiric coverage for Chlamydia (e.g., doxycycline) + gonorrhea (e.g., ceftriaxone) is recommended, even if NAAT is negative for one pathogen.
Thus, Chlamydia trachomatis is the most likely cause.
