A 32-Year-Old Man Was Referred to a Hematologist 6 Months

A 32-year-old man was referred to a hematologist 6 months ago with complaints of fatigue, night sweats, and difficulty breathing while lying supine.  He also reported a 20 lb (9 kg) weight loss over the last 6 weeks, although he denied any alterations in his diet.  On physical examination, enlarged lymph nodes were palpated in his neck and groin and a complete diagnostic work-up was ordered.  Pathology slides revealed Reed Sternberg cells and a diagnosis of Hodgkin's lymphoma was made.  The patient then began an aggressive chemotherapy regimen.  During one of his treatment cycles, the patient experiences fever, dyspnea, and malaise.  Blood cultures incubated for 3 hours at 37 C (98.6 F) reveal the following findings: Which of the following is the most likely cause of this patient's condition?

A) Rhizopus species
B) Aspergillus fumigatus
C) Candida albicans
D) Cryptococcus neoformans
E) Histoplasma capsulatum
F) Coccidioides immitis

Correct Answer:

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