Virology USMLE Step 1 Practice Question
A 62-year-old man with poorly controlled type 2 diabetes mellitus (HbA1c 9.2%) presents to the hospital with a 3-week history of progressive dyspnea, fever, and hemoptysis. He lives in an urban apartment and works in a grain storage facility. Vital signs: BP 128/82 mmHg, HR 102 bpm, RR 24/min, temperature 38.5°C, SpO2 89% on room air. Chest X-ray shows bilateral upper lobe cavitary infiltrates with surrounding consolidation. Sputum cultures yield no bacterial growth after 48 hours of incubation. Bronchoscopy with bronchoalveolar lavage is performed, and microscopy reveals branching, septate hyphae. Which of the following organisms is most likely responsible for this patient's pulmonary infection?
Answer choices
- AHistoplasma capsulatum
- BCryptococcus neoformans
- CCoccidioides immitis
- DBlastomyces dermatitidis
- EAspergillus fumigatusCorrect answer
- FRhizopus species
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