Severe Atypical Pneumonia Causing Acute Respiratory Failure

A 74-year-old cis man presented to the Emergency Department (ED) with a 10-day history of diarrhea, cough, and fevers. The diarrhea began 10 days prior, was characterized by 15-20 watery, nonbloody stools per day, and associated with fevers. In the preceding week, he had developed a nonproductive cough, shortness of breath, and pleuritic chest pain. Review of systems was unremarkable.