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A 30-year-old man was seen in the emergency room of this hospital because of the acute onset of diarrhea 2 days after his return from a trip to the Caribbean. He was afebrile, and the diarrhea was watery without blood. A diagnostic test was performed.

A 4-year-old Haitian boy was admitted to a hospital because of vomiting and diarrhea. On examination, he was hypovolemic and lethargic. Episodes of diarrhea became too numerous to count. Rehydration was initiated, and a diagnostic test result was received.

A 30-year-old woman was transferred to this hospital because of hypotension and respiratory failure. One month earlier, cultures of an abscess on her leg grew MRSA; antibiotics were prescribed and the abscess resolved. On the day of admission, the patient was found unresponsive at home.

A 24-year-old woman was transferred from another hospital because of abdominal pain and shock. Computed tomographic scans of the abdomen showed ascites, thickening of a segment of small bowel, and mesenteric lymphadenopathy. Laparotomy revealed two areas of necrotic small bowel, which were resected. Despite broad-spectrum antimicrobial therapy, she remained critically ill. On the seventh hospital day, a diagnostic test result was received.

A 58-year-old woman was transferred to this hospital because of severe neck pain, fever, and a spinal epidural mass extending from the level of the fourth to the seventh cervical vertebrae, with evidence of mild cord compression seen on imaging studies. Shortly before transfer to this hospital, a diagnostic test result was received.

Presentation of Case A 71-year-old right-handed woman was admitted to the hospital because of a question of a brain tumor. The patient had been in stable health until four months earlier, when she became aware of difficulty in concentrating. Three weeks before entry she began to have midline frontal headaches accompanied by a sensation of local “pressure.” Soon thereafter she observed intermittent diplopia during which objects appeared to be skewed. About one week later she had difficulty in reading and writing a letter and affixed a stamp to the upper left corner of the envelope and was then unable to . . .