A patient presents following a recent infection with pneumon…
A patient presents following a recent infection with pneumonia that continues to have a persistent, productive cough, bring up foul-smelling sputum, worsening sharp, pleuritic chest pain on the left side, fever, chills, and shortness of breath. On examination, there is an absence of lung sounds over the left lower lung field and a dullness to percussion. A chest X-ray shows a left pleural effusion. What diagnosis are we most concerned about in this patient?