Case presentation A 54-year-old woman presented to the emergency department with complaints of cough and respiratory distress. She had no history of alcohol consumption or allergies; however, she had been exposed to cigarette smoke by her husband. Furthermore, the patient was exposed to non-fermented tree bark during gardening. The respiratory problems were first seen after the exposure.
Before the present visit, the patient was started with cefuroxime for respiratory failure at the primary care center. On examination, lung auscultation revealed a crackling noise. Initial laboratory examination revealed: Absolute WBC count: 12.2x10 9 /L C reactive protein: 190 mg/L Procalcitonin (PCT): 0.17 µg/L HIV, hepatitis and chronic autoimmune disorders: Negative After two days of non-invasive ventilation and therapy, laboratory tests were repeated and revealed the following: Absolute WBC count:…
