A 27-year-old man presents with chest pain and feeling unwell. He describes cough with blood-tinged sputum, chills, and fever of 2 days' duration. Physical findings reveal dullness and moist rales in the left lower chest. His CXR is shown in Figure given below. Which of the following is the most likely diagnosis?
High-Yield Explanation
The diagnosis is pneumonia. There is consolidation of the left lower lobe. The increased density, presence of air bronchogram, and the silhouetting of the left diaphragm point to a parenchymal lesion. Pneumococcal infection, as in this patient, is still the most common etiology, although other bacterial infections such as Klebsiella, Streptococcus, or, Staphylococcus is often encountered. Viral and arthropod-borne diseases are also seen.