A patient is admitted to the hospital with fever, cough, malaise, and weakness. Forty-eight hours later, the symptoms have become progressively worse, and they progress to severe respiratory distress, septicemia, and hemorrhagic meningitis. The nurse recognizes these signs and symptoms as:

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Inhalation anthrax is characterized by fever, cough, malaise, and weakness, which progress 2 to 3 days later to severe respiratory distress, septicemia, and hemorrhagic meningitis. Tularemia is characterized by fever, headache, chills, rigors, body aches, sneezing, and sore throat. Pneumonia and pleuritis may develop. Smallpox is manifested by a vesicular rash, which this patient does not have. Fever is a characteristic of both inhalational anthrax and smallpox. Pneumonic plague is manifested by high fever, cough, dyspnea, and hemoptysis, as well as gastrointestinal symptoms.

A Patient Is Admitted to the Hospital with Fever, Cough