A patient has a chronic cough, fever, and purulent sputum, and a lung infection (pneumonia) is suspected. Which of the following diagnostic procedures is least likely to provide useful information?
A. White blood cell count and differential count
B. Chest X-ray
C. Culture of sputum for disease-producing organisms
D. Urinalysis
Question 2
A governmental agency proposes a pilot program to screen a population for a disease by means of a blood test. The characteristics of the disease and the screening test are listed.
Which of these indicate that the proposed screening is not likely to be worthwhile? A. The disease occurs with some frequency (1 per 1000 persons screened).
B. The disease progresses slowly in affected persons.
C. No specific method of treatment is currently available.
D. The test can detect the disease in its early stage and is relatively inexpensive.
E. The test is quite specific, as it produces few false-positive and false-negative results.
The patient interview often requires note taking.
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