A 65-Year-Old Man Is Admitted to the Intensive Care Unit

A 65-year-old man is admitted to the intensive care unit with second- and third-degree burns over 25% of his total body surface area.  Intravenous fluids and analgesics are administered, and his wounds are cleaned and debrided.  After 7 days, the patient develops a fever and his leukocyte count rises to 16,000 cells/µL.  Examination of the burns on his left leg shows surrounding warmth, erythema, and induration.  Gram stain of his wound tissue is shown in the image below. Culture on MacConkey agar grows oxidase-positive colonies that do not ferment lactose.  Which of the following is the best initial treatment for this patient?

A) Cefepime
B) Ceftriaxone
C) Doxycycline
D) Moxifloxacin
E) Trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole

Correct Answer:

Verified

Unlock this answer now
Get Access to more Verified Answers free of charge

Access For Free