A 3-year-old boy presents...

A 3-year-old boy presents with a 3-day history of persistent fever, cough, and difficulty breathing. Physical examination reveals tachypnea, crackles on auscultation, and decreased breath sounds in the right lower lung field. A chest X-ray shows right lower lobe consolidation. Despite initial antibiotic therapy, his symptoms worsen, prompting further investigation for atypical pathogens and consideration of potential complications such as parapneumonic effusion.