Respiratory medicine: Klebsiella pneumonia: practice question

A General Medicine 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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General Medicine · Respiratory medicine: Klebsiella pneumonia

Sample item

A 55-year-old chronic alcoholic has high fever and a cough productive of thick, blood-mixed, gelatinous sputum. The chest radiograph shows dense consolidation of the right upper lobe with a bulging interlobar fissure. Which organism is most likely?

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

The answer and the reasoning

B. Klebsiella pneumoniae

Klebsiella pneumoniae causes a necrotising lobar pneumonia in alcoholics and diabetics, with thick mucoid sputum and a bulging fissure from the heavy exudate. Abscess formation and empyema are frequent complications.

Option by option

  • A. Streptococcus pneumoniae

    Pneumococcal pneumonia gives rusty sputum and lobar consolidation without a bulging fissure.

  • B. Klebsiella pneumoniae (correct)

    Correct. Thick, gelatinous sputum and a bulging fissure are the classic features of Klebsiella pneumonia.

  • C. Mycoplasma pneumoniae

    Mycoplasma gives dry cough with reticular shadowing rather than dense lobar consolidation.

  • D. Haemophilus influenzae

    Haemophilus influenzae causes pneumonia in smokers with COPD, usually with patchy changes.

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 General Medicine question

What is the answer to this General Medicine question?

The best answer is B, Klebsiella pneumoniae. Klebsiella pneumoniae causes a necrotising lobar pneumonia in alcoholics and diabetics, with thick mucoid sputum and a bulging fissure from the heavy exudate.

Why is "Streptococcus pneumoniae" not the answer?

Pneumococcal pneumonia gives rusty sputum and lobar consolidation without a bulging fissure.

Why is "Mycoplasma pneumoniae" not the answer?

Mycoplasma gives dry cough with reticular shadowing rather than dense lobar consolidation.

Why is "Haemophilus influenzae" not the answer?

Haemophilus influenzae causes pneumonia in smokers with COPD, usually with patchy changes.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Respiratory medicine: Klebsiella pneumonia in General Medicine. Abscess formation and empyema are frequent complications.

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 Respiratory medicine: Klebsiella pneumonia?

For each disease know the classic presentation, the best test, and the first-line treatment. Then use the flashcards and the other General Medicine 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.