Characteristic pathological feature of pneumococcal pneumonia: (A) Consolidation of airway, (B) Interstitial pneumonitis, (C) Increased eosinophils, (D) Hilar lymphadenopathy
Answer is A. The characteristic pathological feature of pneumococcal pneumonia is radiographic evidence of lobar/segmental consolidation.Consolidation may be associated with a small pleural effusion or empyema in complicated cases.In children,"round pneumonia", a distinctly spherical consolidation is associated with pneumococcal pathology.Non specific findings include elevated polymorphonuclear leukocytes(>15 000/micro Litre in most cases & upward of 40,000/micro Litre in some),elevated liver function tests,etc. Reference:Harrison' s medicine-18th edition,page no:1156.