A 35 year old man was hospitalized with symptoms of pneumonia. He was treated wi

Question

A 35 year old man was hospitalized with symptoms of pneumonia. He was treated with erythromycin. His symptoms subsided and he was discharged. Two weeks later the man was readmitted to the hospital, again for pneumonia. He was treated with erythromycin again, but this time he did not improve. A sputum sample was cultured for pathogenic bacteria, none were isolated. Pentamidine was then administered. The patient recovered, and was sent home. Three weeks later he was admitted to the hospital for a third time. A bronchoscopy was performed this time and showed yeast cells in his lung tissue.

Please include references (links) with each question.

1. Based upon the information given, identify the pathogen(s) causing the patient’s lung infections. How did you arrive at your conclusion(s).

2. Why do you think a third infection occurred after treatment with Erythromycin and Pentamidine?

3. What other infection might this person be tested for and why?

4. What is the mechanism of action of Pentamidine, and what types of infections can it be used to treat?

Explanation / Answer

As the patient was readmitted it's the care of drug resistance which mean the bacterial culture got the resistance power against the drug that is Erythromycin.

Based on the information given the pathogens found in the patients will be Staphylococcus aureus & Streptococcus pneumonia.

Then sputum sample was cultured for pathogenic bacteria, none were isolated. Pentamidine was then administered. The patient recovered, and was sent home.

Three weeks later he was admitted to the hospital for a third time. A bronchoscopy was performed this time and showed yeast cells in his lung tissue.

It indicates the case of fungal pneumonia.

Patient is further advised test for viral infectionss as pneumonia may be due bacterial as well as viral infections.

In this case Pentamidine is used as an antimicrobial medication to treat pneumocystis pneumonia.

Furthermore it is effective in various types of infections like trypanosomiasis, leishmaniasis, and some fungal infections.

All the best.

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