A 66-year-old Inuit man living in a remote community presents to a nursing station with cough, fever, haemoptysis and weight loss. There is no on-site...

Question

A 66-year-old Inuit man living in a remote community presents to a nursing station with cough, fever, haemoptysis and weight loss. There is no on-site radiography, and evacuation may be delayed by weather. What is the most appropriate immediate action by the rural physician?

Accepted Answer

Suspect tuberculosis, initiate airborne precautions where possible, collect sputum samples and liaise with public health and TB programme for urgent evacuation and treatment planning

Answer

Reassure and wait for evacuation without any treatment

Answer

Start empiric broad-spectrum antibiotics only

Answer

Assume lung cancer and refer non-urgently

Answer

Start high-dose steroids

ca-mccqe1 MCQ (SBA): Pulmonary tuberculosis in Inuit community

A 66-year-old Inuit man living in a remote community presents to a nursing station with cough, fever, haemoptysis and weight loss. There is no on-site radiography, and evacuation may be delayed by weather. What is the most appropriate immediate action by the rural physician?