Question

A 22-year-old woman comes to the office due to worsening cough. The patient has been coughing every day for the past several months, but over the last 4 weeks, the cough has worsened, with increased amounts of thick sputum and shortness of breath. Streaks of blood have been present in the sputum on several occasions. The patient also has a history of chronic sinusitis and repeated hospitalizations for airway infections. She takes pancreatic enzyme supplements for chronic diarrhea. She does not use tobacco, alcohol, or illicit drugs. Physical examination reveals nasal polyps, a barrel-shaped chest, bilateral coarse lung crackles, and digital clubbing. Chest x-ray shows hyperinflated lungs and dilated, thickened airways. The patient is diagnosed with cystic fibrosis.

Sputum culture from this patient is most likely to yield which of the following organisms?

Pseudomonas aeruginosa

Yersinia pestis

Yersinia enterocolitica

Bartonella henselae

Streptococcus pneumoniae

Staphylococcus aureus

Answer 1

Sputum culture from this patient is most likely to yield which of the following organisms?

Pseudomonas aeruginosa

Yersinia pestis

Yersinia enterocolitica

Bartonella henselae

Streptococcus pneumoniae

Staphylococcus aureus

Answer:

A type of hereditary disease that can be life threatening and affects the lungs and digestive system of the body is called Cystic fibrosis. It disturbs the cells that produce mucus, digestive juices and sweat and because of that, body produces thick and sticky mucus that can obstruct the lungs and the pancreas. In cystic fibrosis, serious symptoms are observed in the lungs of most of the patients, enhancing the risk of bacterial infections. Complex polymicrobial communities within the lower respiratory tract is notable feature in Cystic fibrosis. The following are the organisms most likely to yield among the choices in questions

1. Staphylococcus aureus: Throughout the first decade of life ,Staphylococcus aureus and Hemophilus influenza are the most common bacteria seen in the sputum of patients with Cystic fibrosis,

2. Pseudomonas aeruginosa: In the second and third decade of life, Pseudomonas aeruginosa is the predominant bacteria in the sputum of patients

Other options:

The role of Streptococcus pneumonia in cystic fibrosis (CF) is poorly unspoken and it is rarely only identified in adult patients with Cystic fibrosis. There is no much evidence about the presence of other organisms mentioned in the choices