An Epidemic of Respiratory Illnesses Among Military Recruits Is Being

An epidemic of respiratory illnesses among military recruits is being investigated by health officials. A prolonged cough, a low-grade fever, and malaise were reported by fifteen recruits. Aside from the low-grade temperature, the physical examination was ordinary. Chest x-rays all revealed pulmonary infiltrates that were more severe than would have been predicted based on the patients' clinical state. Sputum samples were collected, and the culprit bacterium grew on a complicated acellular medium loaded with cholesterol. Which of the following organisms is most likely to be the source of the outbreak?

A) Coccidioides immitis
B) Coxiella burnetii
C) Haemophilus influenzae
D) Histoplasma capsulatum
E) Klebsiella pneumoniae
F) Legionella pneumophila
G) Mycoplasma pneumoniae
H) Pneumocystis jirovecii
I) Streptococcus pneumoniae