Question

A 23-year-old woman comes to the emergency room complaining of low abdominal pain and a fever. As she walks into the examination room, she is slightly stooped over and says that even walking is painful. She indicates that intercourse has been painful for the past week and evidence of purulent vaginal discharge is noted during a pelvic exam. What is the most likely diagnosis?

Answer 1

The symptomatic presentation suggests Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID), a serious infection of the female reproductive organs often caused by STD pathogens, leading to symptoms such as abdominal pain, fever, and discharge.

Step-by-step explanation:

The most likely diagnosis for a 23-year-old woman experiencing low abdominal pain, fever, painful intercourse, and purulent vaginal discharge is Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID). PID is commonly caused by sexually transmitted bacterial pathogens like Neisseria gonorrhoeae and Chlamydia trachomatis.

These infections can lead to inflammation of the pelvic organs, including the fallopian tubes, which is called salpingitis, a serious form of PID. The symptoms described, such as painful urination (dysuria), lower abdominal pain, and fever, are characteristic of PID, which can lead to complications such as infertility or ectopic pregnancy if left untreated.