Paediatric infections: staphylococcal pneumonia: practice question

A Pediatrics question in the style of the NEET PG paper. Answer it first, then read why the right option is right and why each of the others is wrong.

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Pediatrics · Paediatric infections: staphylococcal pneumonia

Sample item

A 10-month-old with skin pustules a week ago now has high fever, fast breathing and grunting. The chest radiograph shows thin-walled air-filled cysts and a right pyopneumothorax. Which organism is the most likely cause?

Original practice item, not a recalled exam question. Nothing here is recorded.

The answer and the reasoning

D. Staphylococcus aureus

Staphylococcal pneumonia in infants often follows a skin infection and causes rapidly progressive pneumonia with pneumatoceles, empyema and pyopneumothorax. Treatment needs anti-staphylococcal antibiotics, and an intercostal drain for the pyopneumothorax. Pneumococcal pneumonia usually gives a lobar consolidation.

Option by option

  • A. Mycoplasma pneumoniae

    Mycoplasma causes mild interstitial disease in older children.

  • B. Haemophilus influenzae type b

    Hib pneumonia is now uncommon after vaccination and rarely forms pneumatoceles.

  • C. Streptococcus pneumoniae

    Pneumococcus typically causes lobar consolidation and parapneumonic effusion without pneumatoceles.

  • D. Staphylococcus aureus (correct)

    Correct. Pneumatoceles with pyopneumothorax after skin sepsis point to S. aureus.

Source note: Original NextPrep sample item — pending expert review. This item is original practice material awaiting independent expert review, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.

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Questions about this Pediatrics question

What is the answer to this Pediatrics question?

The best answer is D, Staphylococcus aureus. Staphylococcal pneumonia in infants often follows a skin infection and causes rapidly progressive pneumonia with pneumatoceles, empyema and pyopneumothorax.

Why is "Mycoplasma pneumoniae" not the answer?

Mycoplasma causes mild interstitial disease in older children.

Why is "Haemophilus influenzae type b" not the answer?

Hib pneumonia is now uncommon after vaccination and rarely forms pneumatoceles.

Why is "Streptococcus pneumoniae" not the answer?

Pneumococcus typically causes lobar consolidation and parapneumonic effusion without pneumatoceles.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Paediatric infections: staphylococcal pneumonia in Pediatrics. Treatment needs anti-staphylococcal antibiotics, and an intercostal drain for the pyopneumothorax. Pneumococcal pneumonia usually gives a lobar consolidation.

How hard is this question?

We tag it as an application question: it asks you to use a fact on a patient or a finding. The tag is our own editorial judgement, not an official difficulty rating, so read the reason for every option, not only the answer.

How should I study Paediatric infections: staphylococcal pneumonia?

Memorise milestones and the vaccine schedule as tables and revise them often. Then use the flashcards and the other Pediatrics questions on this site to test what stuck.

Is this a real NEET PG question?

No. It is an original practice item (editorial status: sample, version 1). NextPrep does not publish recalled or leaked questions, and independent faculty review of this item has not been completed yet, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.