SOAP Note

S - Subjective: 35-year-old male presents with complaints of nausea, diarrhea, and abdominal pain that started yesterday. He reports a friend at work has similar symptoms, no vomiting but feels nauseous, and denies fever and chills. O - Objective: Clinical examination and history taking are crucial at this point. However, specific findings are not provided. A - Assessment: Differential diagnosis based on symptoms. P - Plan: Will be determined after establishing a differential diagnosis.

Differential Diagnosis

• Single Most Likely Diagnosis
  • Viral Gastroenteritis: Given the acute onset of nausea, diarrhea, and abdominal pain, along with a friend at work having similar symptoms, this suggests a highly contagious cause. Viral gastroenteritis (stomach flu) is common and fits well with the described symptoms and the lack of fever and vomiting.
• Other Likely Diagnoses
  • Food Poisoning: This could be a consideration if the patient and his friend consumed the same food recently. Symptoms can vary but often include nausea, diarrhea, and abdominal pain.
  • Bacterial Gastroenteritis: Though less likely than viral due to the absence of fever and the specific mention of a friend having the same symptoms, bacterial causes cannot be ruled out without further testing.
• Do Not Miss Diagnoses
  • Appendicitis: Although the patient's symptoms do not strongly suggest appendicitis (typically presents with more localized pain, fever, and possibly vomiting), it's a condition that could be deadly if missed due to the risk of perforation.
  • Intestinal Obstruction: This is less likely given the description but could present with abdominal pain and nausea. It's a serious condition requiring prompt intervention.
• Rare Diagnoses
  • Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) Flare: While IBD (Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis) can present with similar symptoms, the acute onset and the fact that a friend has the same symptoms make this less likely. However, it's a consideration if symptoms persist or worsen.
  • Giardiasis: An intestinal infection caused by the parasite Giardia. It's less common and usually associated with travel or exposure to contaminated water, but it could be considered in the differential diagnosis, especially if the patient has been camping or drinking untreated water recently.

This differential diagnosis is based on the information provided and may need to be adjusted based on further clinical evaluation, laboratory results, and the patient's response to initial treatment.