A group of patients presents to the emergency department with signs and symptoms of lower respiratory tract infection. Based on the unique clinical features described for each patient, match the clinical presentation with the most likely causative pathogen.
- A 65-year-old man who recently attended a convention at a large hotel presents with high fever, cough, watery diarrhea, and a serum sodium of 128 mEq/L.Legionella pneumophila
- A 20-year-old college student living in a dormitory presents with a persistent dry cough, low-grade fever, and a chest radiograph showing diffuse bilateral interstitial infiltrates.Mycoplasma pneumoniae
- A 55-year-old man with a history of severe alcohol use disorder presents with fever, productive cough with thick, blood-tinged sputum, and an x-ray showing a right upper lobe cavitary lesion.Klebsiella pneumoniae
- A 45-year-old otherwise healthy woman presents with abrupt onset of high fever, chills, and productive cough with rust-colored sputum, accompanied by right lower lobe consolidation.Streptococcus pneumoniae
Answer
The hotel guest with hyponatremia has Legionella pneumophila; the college student with interstitial infiltrates has Mycoplasma pneumoniae; the patient with alcohol use disorder and cavitary lesion has Klebsiella pneumoniae; and the patient with abrupt rust-colored sputum has Streptococcus pneumoniae.
Each specific clinical vignette contains classic 'buzzword' clues that reliably map to a specific bacterial etiology of pneumonia, allowing for targeted empiric therapy and appropriate diagnostic testing.
Step-by-Step Solution
Key Concept
Pathogen-specific clinical, epidemiologic, and laboratory features of community-acquired pneumonia.
Estimated Time:1m 0s