Question

The nurse practitioner has diagnosed acute bacterial rhinosinusitis (ABRS) and is considering antibiotic choices. He recognizes that the most common causative pathogen is:

a. influenzae.
b. aureus.
c. pneumoniae.
d. catarrhalis.

Answer 1

The most common causative pathogen of acute bacterial rhinosinusitis (ABRS) is (c) Streptococcus pneumoniae.

Step-by-step explanation:

The most common causative pathogen of acute bacterial rhinosinusitis (ABRS) is Streptococcus pneumoniae, which along with Haemophilus influenzae and Moraxella catarrhalis, frequently leads to such respiratory infections. These pathogens also contribute to infections like acute otitis media (AOM).

The onset of bacterial rhinosinusitis is often triggered by a preceding viral infection, which compromises the immune defenses and allows opportunistic bacteria to establish an infection. In cases where antibiotics are ineffective, it might indicate a viral infection, fungal infection, or a resistant bacterial strain.