Free NCLEX RN Practice Questions Practice Question
After several hospitalizations for respiratory ailments, a 6-month-old has been diagnosed as having HIV. The infant's respiratory ailments were most likely due to:
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Pneumocystis carinii (now known as Pneumocystis jirovecii) is a common opportunistic infection in individuals with HIV, especially infants, due to their compromised immune systems. This organism often causes pneumonia, which aligns with the infant's respiratory issues.
Cytomegalovirus primarily affects the central nervous system and can cause various symptoms but is less commonly associated with respiratory ailments in infants. Cryptosporidiosis typically leads to gastrointestinal issues rather than respiratory problems. Herpes simplex can cause respiratory infections but is not as prevalent in HIV-infected infants as Pneumocystis. Thus, the respiratory ailments in this case are most likely attributed to Pneumocystis carinii.
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