Pneumonia USMLE Step 1 Practice Question
A 32-year-old woman with HIV presents to the emergency department with a 2-week history of progressive dyspnea, fever, and nonproductive cough. She reports no antiretroviral therapy or prophylactic medication use. Vital signs: temperature 38.5°C, heart rate 108/min, respiratory rate 28/min, oxygen saturation 88% on room air. Physical examination reveals bilateral fine crackles on auscultation. Chest X-ray shows bilateral interstitial infiltrates with a ground-glass appearance. Laboratory studies reveal CD4+ count of 80/μL, lactate dehydrogenase 450 U/L, and negative sputum acid-fast bacilli smears. Which of the following is the most likely diagnosis?
Answer choices
- APneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia (PCP)Correct answer
- BTuberculosis with interstitial presentation
- CMycobacterium avium complex (MAC) pulmonary disease
- DCytomegalovirus pneumonitis
- ECryptococcal pneumonia
- FAspergillus fumigatus invasive pulmonary disease
See the full explanation
Get the correct-answer rationale, why each distractor is wrong, the underlying mechanism, and high-yield associations — plus adaptive practice that targets your weak areas — with a free MedBoardPRO account.