Review Question - QID 214712

A 19-year-old woman presents to her primary care physician for worsening fever, malaise, and headache for 1 week. She states that her headache is “severe” and associated with nausea. She also noticed a rash that began approximately 4 days ago. She traveled to North Carolina approximately 2 weeks ago to go hiking. She has no significant past medical history and takes no medications. She is sexually active, infrequently uses barrier contraception, and currently lives in a dorm in her university. Her temperature is 100.8°F (38.2°C), blood pressure is 130/90 mmHg, pulse is 86/min, and respirations are 18/min. On physical examination, the patient is alert to self, place, and time and has conjunctival erythema. Kernig and Brudzinski signs are negative. The patient has a blanching, macular, and erythematous rash with few petechiae on her wrists and ankles bilaterally. Laboratory studies are shown below:

Hemoglobin: 13 g/dL
Hematocrit: 39 %
Leukocyte count: 9,000/mm^3
Platelet count: 85,000/mm^3

Which of the following is the most appropriate treatment for this patient?