A patient presents with fever, vomiting, headache, and an inability to stretch their hamstring. This patient most likely has which condition?

• A. Meningitis
• B. Rhabdomyolysis
• C. Tiernan-Bifosky Syndrome
• D. Wernicke's Encephalopathy

Answer: (A)

Meningeal irritation from meningitis typically presents with fever, headache, and vomiting, plus signs of meningeal rigidity. The description of an inability to stretch the hamstring aligns with a positive Kernig sign, where extending the knee becomes painful or difficult when the hip is flexed at 90 degrees. This combination—systemic signs of infection plus a meningeal irritation sign—points most strongly to meningitis. Other conditions don’t fit as well: rhabdomyolysis centers on muscle breakdown with weakness and dark urine, not meningismus; Wernicke’s encephalopathy features confusion and eye/motor problems rather than fever with meningeal signs. Therefore, meningitis is the best explanation for this presentation.