Difficulty: Medium
Average Score: 64%
Simulated
Passage / Scenario
A child who has rheumatic fever. Parent reports: The father had gastritis 2 weeks ago, a neighbor's child has chickenpox, a sibling had a sore throat 3 weeks ago, a classmate has fifth disease.A nurse is caring for a child who has rheumatic fever. When obtaining the child's medical history from the parent, the nurse should recognize the significance of which of the following data as the possible source of the child's infection?
Correct answer
C
Rationale
The correct answer is C: A sibling who had a sore throat 3 weeks ago. Rheumatic fever is a complication of untreated streptococcal infections, particularly strep throat. The child likely contracted the streptococcal infection from the sibling with a sore throat. Streptococcal infections can lead to rheumatic fever if not promptly treated with antibiotics. The other choices are less likely to be the possible source of the child's infection. Choice A (father with gastritis) is not relevant to rheumatic fever. Choice B (neighbor's child with chickenpox) is caused by a virus, not bacteria like streptococcus. Choice D (classmate with fifth disease) is also caused by a virus and is not associated with rheumatic fever.