A 30-year-old male, recently released from prison, presents with fever, weight loss, night sweats, and a persistent cough. What could be the cause of his symptoms and what are the next steps?
His symptoms and history suggest a possible tuberculosis (TB) infection, which is more common in overcrowded places like prisons. The next steps should include isolating the patient to prevent spread, obtaining a chest X-ray, and collecting sputum samples for acid-fast bacillus (AFB) smear and culture. If TB is confirmed, a multidrug regimen should be started under direct observed therapy.