Which organism is associated with currant jelly sputum?

Currant jelly sputum is characteristic of pneumonia caused by Klebsiella pneumoniae. This organism is a part of the Enterobacteriaceae family and is known to cause severe pulmonary infections, particularly in individuals with underlying health conditions such as alcoholism or chronic lung disease. The distinctive appearance of the sputum, which resembles currant jelly (a thick, reddish-brown mucous), is due to the presence of thick, necrotic tissue and a high amount of exudate associated with the lung infection.

Klebsiella pneumonia typically presents with a productive cough, high fever, and can lead to significant respiratory distress. The currant jelly sputum is a unique clinical finding that helps differentiate this type of pneumonia from other bacterial infections with different sputum characteristics. This distinctive feature is a result of the virulence factors of Klebsiella, which contribute to the inflammatory and necrotizing processes in the lung tissue.