TWiP 282: Does he live in New York?

TWiP solves the case of the nonbinary patient in his 30s with a history HIV/AIDS presenting with 3 weeks of subjective fevers, chills, generalized weakness and voluminous ostomy output.

Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Daniel Griffin, and Christina Naula

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• Parasite of the Month: Leucochloridium paradoxum (the green-banded broodsac)
• Letters read on TWiP 282
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New Case

39-year-old man originally from Guatemala, who moved to one of the NYC boroughs in 2023 and currently lives with his siblings and cousins, presented with headaches. He reports headaches for several months, possibly nearly 1 year. Over the past 2 weeks, he has had intermittent numbness on the left side of his face and in his left arm and foot, with difficulty standing due to sensory changes in his feet. He states these symptoms are new. He reports a fall related to the numbness but denies balance problems. He denies fever or chills. He has intermittent nausea and vomiting but denies diarrhea, abdominal pain, or other complaints. He works as a busboy in a restaurant and states that he only cleans and does not prepare food. In Guatemala, he used to eat street tacos containing pork and beef, sometimes with undercooked meat. He is a former smoker who quit 4 years ago after smoking for 10 years. He drinks alcohol 3–4 times per week, typically 2–4 drinks per occasion, but not daily. He reports no sexual activity for 1–2 years.

General: no acute distress
HEENT: NC/AT, anicteric, vEEG
Neck: supple, normal ROM
Lungs: clear to auscultation bilaterally
Heart: S1, S2 present, normal rate/rhythm
Abdomen: Soft. Nondistended. Nontender.
Neuro: AAOx3, no obvious focal deficits
Extremities: No cyanosis. No edema.\
Skin: Warm. Dry. No visible rash.
Psychiatric: Appropriate affect and mood for situation.

CT HEAD WO IV CONTRAST-Cystic structures scattered along the subarachnoid space, for example, right sylvian fissure/frontotemporal cortical sulci, right > left suprasellar cistern, interpedicular cistern, basal cistern and left sylvian fissure. Associated mass effect with minimal leftward midline shift (0.2-0.3 cm). Calcifications at the left temporal region. There is no obvious acute intracranial hemorrhage.

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Music by Ronald Jenkees