A 54-year-old woman comes to the physician because of a painful skin lesion on her right leg for 1 month. It initially started out as a small red spot but has rapidly increased in size during this period. She remembers an ant bite on her leg prior to the lesion occurring. She was treated for anterior uveitis 8 months ago with corticosteroids. She has Crohn's disease, type 2 diabetes mellitus, and hypertension. Current medications include insulin, mesalamine, enalapril, and aspirin. She returned from Wisconsin after visiting her son 2 months ago. Her temperature is 37.6°C (98°F), pulse is 98/min, and blood pressure is 126/88 mm Hg. Examination shows pitting pedal edema of the lower extremities. There is a 4-cm tender ulcerative lesion on the anterior right leg with a central necrotic base and purplish irregular borders. There are dilated tortuous veins in both lower legs. Femoral and pedal pulses are palpated bilaterally. Which of the following is the most likely diagnosis?
APyoderma gangrenosum
BBasal cell carcinoma
CSquamous cell carcinoma
DEcthyma gangrenosum
EBlastomycosis
A 44-year-old man comes to the physician because of a 3-week history of productive cough, fever, and lethargy. He also has several skin lesions over his body. His symptoms began 3 weeks after he returned from a camping trip in Kentucky. Three years ago, he underwent kidney transplantation for polycystic kidney disease. Current medications include sirolimus and prednisone. His temperature is 38°C (100.4°F). Diffuse crackles are heard over the lung fields. There are 4 white, verrucous skin patches over his chest and upper limbs. A photomicrograph of a skin biopsy specimen from one of the lesions is shown. Which of the following is the most likely diagnosis?
ACoccidioidomycosis
BMucormycosis
CBlastomycosis
DCryptococcosis
EHistoplasmosis
A young woman from the Ohio River Valley in the United States currently on corticosteroid therapy for ulcerative colitis presented to a clinic complaining of fever, sweat, headache, nonproductive cough, malaise, and general weakness. A chest radiograph revealed patchy pneumonia in the lower lung fields, together with enlarged mediastinal and hilar lymph nodes. Skin changes suggestive of erythema nodosum (i.e. an acute erythematous eruption) were noted. Because the patient was from a region endemic for fungal infections associated with her symptoms and the patient was in close contact with a person presenting similar symptoms, the attending physician suspected that systemic fungal infection might be responsible for this woman’s illness. Which of the following laboratory tests can the physician use to ensure early detection of the disease, and also effectively monitor the treatment response?
ASkin tests
BFungal staining
CAntigen detection
DCulture method
EAntibody testing
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