Ten-Day Dry Cough in a 36-Year-Old Man

Case
A 36-year-old man presents to an urgent care center with a dry cough that he has had for the preceding 10 days. He has mild dyspnea. He has no rhinorrhea, fever, chest pain, blood in the urine or stool, or lower-extremity pain or swelling. He has no history of previous illnesses. He smokes cigarettes, occasionally drinks alcohol, and has a remote history of intravenous drug use.

View the image taken (Figure 1) and consider what your diagnosis would be. Resolution of the case is described on the next page.