After having a surgery, a patient develops an infection and soon experiences chest pain, cough, and fluid accumulation in the lungs. Which diagnosis best explains these symptoms?

• A. Tuberculosis
• B. MRSA
• C. Pneumonia
• D. Severe allergies

Answer: (C)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Step 1: Identify the key symptoms described: chest pain, cough, and fluid accumulation in the lungs. These symptoms suggest an infection affecting the respiratory system.
2. Step 2: Understand that pneumonia is an infection that inflames the air sacs in one or both lungs, which can fill with fluid or pus, causing cough, chest pain, and difficulty breathing.
3. Step 3: Compare the symptoms with other options: Tuberculosis is a chronic infection with different progression; MRSA is a bacterial infection often related to skin or wound infections; severe allergies typically cause inflammation but not fluid accumulation in the lungs.
4. Step 4: Recognize that post-surgery patients are at increased risk for pneumonia due to factors like reduced mobility and weakened immune response, making pneumonia a likely diagnosis.
5. Step 5: Conclude that pneumonia best explains the combination of symptoms and clinical context provided.