Your patient has pneumonia.Since there are so many microorganisms causing pneumonia, what might be the best test to do first for identification of the agent?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

A culture from a lung aspirate is the best first option for identifying the microorganism causing pneumonia. This allows for the growth and identification of the specific bacteria, virus, or fungus responsible for the infection. Antibody tests are not as useful for identifying the causative agent in acute infections, and skin tests are not routinely used for pneumonia. A Gram stain of a saliva specimen could potentially provide some information, but it is not as reliable or specific as a culture from a lung aspirate.

Your Patient Has Pneumonia