The radiographic findings of Group B Streptococcus pneumoniae pneumonia are most similar to which condition?

• A. Respiratory distress syndrome (correct)
• B. PPHN
• C. Pulmonary hemorrhage
• D. Meconium aspiration syndrome

Answer: (A)

The main idea is that GBS pneumonia in newborns can produce an alveolar-filling pattern on the chest radiograph that looks very similar to surfactant-deficient lung disease. In both conditions the lungs show diffuse hazy, ground-glass–like opacities with air bronchograms, reflecting widespread air-space disease and atelectasis. This results in a radiographic appearance that closely mirrors respiratory distress syndrome.

Other neonatal lung conditions tend to have different patterns: pulmonary edema from PPHN often highlights central vascular congestion, meconium aspiration usually shows patchy dense infiltrates with areas of hyperinflation, and pulmonary hemorrhage can present with diffuse or patchy opacities that don’t have the classic reticulogranular look of RDS.