The nurse is caring for a 15-year-old patient who has been diagnosed with mononucleosis. The patient asks how the infection was obtained. Which information should the nurse include when responding to the patient?

A. This statement describes glaucoma, not macular degeneration. Glaucoma is characterized by increased intraocular pressure that can lead to optic nerve damage and vision loss. It does not specifically pertain to damage of the macula or central vision.
B. This statement refers to conditions like astigmatism, where the cornea has an irregular shape, leading to blurred vision. It is not relevant to macular degeneration, which involves damage to the retina rather than the curvature of the cornea.
C. This statement accurately describes macular degeneration. The macula is the part of the retina responsible for sharp central vision, which is crucial for tasks like reading and recognizing faces. In macular degeneration, this area deteriorates, leading to loss of central vision.
D. This statement describes cataracts, where the lens of the eye becomes cloudy, leading to blurred vision. Cataracts and macular degeneration are distinct conditions, with different causes and impacts on vision.

A. Bradycardia (a slow heart rate) is not a typical sign of osteomyelitis. Instead, infections often cause tachycardia (increased heart rate) due to the body's response to fever and inflammation. Therefore, this finding would not indicate osteomyelitis.
B. Chills can be a sign of infection, including osteomyelitis. They often occur as a result of the body trying to regulate temperature in response to fever. The presence of chills would raise suspicion of an underlying infection.
C. An elevated temperature, particularly above normal (typically defined as over 100.4 degrees F), is a classic sign of infection. A temperature of 102 degrees F suggests that the body is fighting an infection, which could indicate osteomyelitis.
D. Difficulty breathing is not a direct symptom of osteomyelitis and may indicate other conditions such as respiratory issues or complications unrelated to the shoulder infection. Therefore, this finding is not typically associated with osteomyelitis.
E. Increased pain in the affected area, especially with movement, can indicate inflammation or infection. In the case of osteomyelitis, localized pain at the site of infection is a common symptom.