A 3-Year-Old Boy Is Brought to the Office Due to a 1-Day

question 66

Multiple Choice

A 3-year-old boy is brought to the office due to a 1-day history of fever and irritability.  The mother states that the boy has been tugging at his right ear.  The patient has had 2 previous episodes of acute otitis media.  Temperature is 38.1 C (100.6 F) .  Otoscopic examination shows a perforated right tympanic membrane with erythema and purulent exudate.  Cultures from the exudate yield small, oxidase-positive, gram-negative coccobacilli that grow on factor X- and factor V-supplemented media, consistent with Haemophilus influenzae.  The patient's immunizations are up to date.  Which of the following best explains this patient's susceptibility to the pathogen causing his current infection?

• A)No vaccine is effective against H influenzae
• B)The patient has defective cell-mediated immunity
• C)The patient has defective neutrophil function
• D)The strain responsible for this patient's disease does not produce a capsule
• E)The strain responsible for this patient's disease produces exotoxin

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Definitions:

Testosterone

A steroid hormone produced primarily in the testes in males and the ovaries in females, playing a key role in the development of male reproductive tissues as well as promoting secondary sexual characteristics.

Prenatally

Prenatally refers to the period that occurs before birth, during the development of the fetus inside the womb.

Left-handed

Referring to individuals who predominantly use their left hand for activities and tasks.

Cognitive Development

The process by which individuals acquire and evolve their thinking skills, problem-solving abilities, and knowledge over time.