RT Journal
A1 Christini A, King E
T1 NEck mass in a returning traveler
JF JAMA
JO JAMA
YR 2012
FD November 28
VO 308
IS 20
SP 2142
OP 2143
DO 10.1001/jama.2012.33634
UL http://dx.doi.org/10.1001/jama.2012.33634
AB 
A 49-year-old man with a history of diabetes presents to the emergency department of a US hospital with an abdominal wall abscess. He recently completed a summer pilgrimage to Bangladesh and Saudi Arabia. Incision and drainage are performed but no cultures are sent. He is given empirical double-strength trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole twice daily for 14 days. Several weeks later he returns with painful swelling of the left side of his neck associated with subjective fever and chills. On examination he is afebrile and a tender, 2-cm fluctuant neck mass is palpated. A contrast computed tomography (CT) scan of the neck is performed (Figure 1). The patient is given oral clindamycin with plans for ultrasound-guided incision and drainage by an otorhinolaryngologist. However, after 8 days of empirical clindamycin, he returns to the emergency department with worsening neck pain. He is afebrile and no laboratory abnormalities are noted except for an elevated glucose level of 335 mg/dL.