A young man who works on a ranch and lives in the log bunkhouse experiences sudden fever with muscle aches. A few days later he begins to cough and have difficulty breathing, and goes to an urgent care clinic. His blood pressure is low. A blood sample reveals a low platelet count. A Gram stain of a sputum sample shows only a few small bacteria present. Which of the following is the most likely infecting agent?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The young man's symptoms suggest a viral infection that is causing respiratory distress and low platelet count. Since the Gram stain of the sputum sample only shows a few small bacteria, it is unlikely that a bacterial infection is present. Hantavirus is a viral infection that is associated with rodents and can cause respiratory distress and low platelet count. Bacillus anthracis is the causative agent of anthrax, which often causes skin lesions and is not associated with respiratory symptoms. Histoplasma capsulatum is a fungal infection that primarily affects the lungs and is not typically associated with low platelet counts. Influenza is a viral infection that can cause respiratory symptoms but is not associated with low platelet counts. Mycoplasma pneumonia is a bacterial infection that can cause respiratory symptoms, but it typically does not cause low platelet counts.

A Young Man Who Works on a Ranch and Lives