Organisms That Infect the Respiratory System

Question 1

Most common cause of pneumonia

Answer 1

Streptococcus pneumoniae

Question 2

Pneumonia, especially in debilitated patients

Answer 2

Haemophilus influenzae

Question 3

Pneumonia in elderly and debilitated patients

Answer 3

Klebsiella pneumoniae

Question 4

Mild pneumonia, usually in young adults and children; “walking pneumonia”

Answer 4

Mycoplasma pneumoniae

Question 5

Legionellosis (Legionnaire disease); respiratory disease spread through water
sources, such as air conditioners, pools, humidifiers

Answer 5

Legionella pneumophila

Question 6

Psittacosis (ornithosis); carried by birds

Answer 6

Chlamydia psittaci

Question 7

“Strep throat,” scarlet fever

Answer 7

Streptococcus pyogenes

Question 8

tuberculosis

Answer 8

Mycobacterium tuberculosis

Question 9

Pertussis (whooping cough)

Answer 9

Bordetella pertussis

Question 10

Diphtheria

Answer 10

Corynebacterium diphtheriae

Question 11

Major cause of common cold; also caused by coronaviruses, adenoviruses, and
others

Answer 11

Rhinoviruses

Question 12

Influenza

Answer 12

Influenzavirus

Question 13

Common cause of respiratory disease in infants

Answer 13

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV)

Question 14

Severe acute respiratory syndrome; highly infectious disease that appeared in
2003 and spreads from small mammals to humans

Answer 14

SARS coronavirus

Question 15

Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS); spread by inhalation of virus released
from dried rodent droppings

Answer 15

Hantavirus

Question 16

Histoplasmosis; spread by airborne spores

Answer 16

Histoplasma capsulatum

Question 17

Coccidioidomycosis (valley fever, San Joaquin fever); found in dry, alkaline soils

Answer 17

Coccidioides immitis

Question 18

Blastomycosis; rare but often fatal fungal disease

Answer 18

Blastomyces dermatitidis

Question 19

Pneumocystis pneumonia (PCP); seen in immunocompromised hosts

Answer 19

Pneumocystis jiroveci (formerly carinii)