Which of the following is a complication of a lung abscess?

Which of the following is a complication of a lung abscess?

• A. Sepsis
• B. Hypertension
• C. Osteoarthritis
• D. Renal calculi

Answer: (A)

A lung abscess is a localized collection of pus in the lung from an infectious process. When bacteria from the abscess enter the bloodstream, they can cause bacteremia and trigger a systemic inflammatory response—sepsis. This is why sepsis is a known complication: it reflects the infection’s spread beyond the lung to the whole body, with signs like fever, tachycardia, hypotension, and potential organ dysfunction. The other options—hypertension, osteoarthritis, and renal calculi—are not direct complications of a lung abscess and don’t arise from a localized pulmonary infection.

A lung abscess is a localized collection of pus in the lung from an infectious process. When bacteria from the abscess enter the bloodstream, they can cause bacteremia and trigger a systemic inflammatory response—sepsis. This is why sepsis is a known complication: it reflects the infection’s spread beyond the lung to the whole body, with signs like fever, tachycardia, hypotension, and potential organ dysfunction. The other options—hypertension, osteoarthritis, and renal calculi—are not direct complications of a lung abscess and don’t arise from a localized pulmonary infection.