the emergency department of a regional hospital.
An old man from New York City is brought in by emergency medical technicians (EMTs). Their initial report is suspected meningitis because the patient has a headache and stiff neck. The EMTs add that the patient's meningitis symptoms appear rather mild- he still has neck movement, and the headaches are not severe. The patient's overall condition is poor, however. He is very thin, has dark cancer-looking spots on his face and upper body, and open bloody-eruptions on his lips. His fever is 104 degrees F adn his blood pressure is low. He also has severe diarrhea. Spinal fluid reveals the presence of very large cells that appear to be eukaryotic surrounded by a large capsule.