An 8-Year-Old Boy Is Brought to the Emergency Department Due

An 8-year-old boy is brought to the emergency department due to 24 hours of fever and chills.  Temperature is 38.3 C (101 F) .  On examination, the patient is lethargic with dry mucous membranes.  There are no oropharyngeal lesions, and tympanic membranes are normal.  The lungs are clear on auscultation, and heart sounds are normal.  The abdomen is soft and nontender.  There is no skin rash.  Laboratory testing shows a leukocyte count of 24,000/mm³ with 15% bands, 80% neutrophils, and 5% lymphocytes.  Peripheral blood smear is shown in the exhibit. 
Blood cultures are obtained and intravenous fluids and empiric antibiotics are initiated.  The patient's blood cultures are most likely to grow which of the following organisms?

A) Escherichia coli
B) Pseudomonas aeruginosa
C) Staphylococcus aureus
D) Streptococcus pneumoniae
E) Streptococcus pyogenes
F) Viridans streptococci

Correct Answer:

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