Viral Infections (Herpes, Warts, Molluscum) MCQs

Dermatology · 17 free questions with answers & explanations.

1. A 25-year-old immunocompetent man presents with grouped painful vesicles on an erythematous base over the right T5 dermatome. Tzanck smear shows multinucleated giant cells. He had chickenpox as a child. What is the causative virus?
2. A 10-year-old child presents with multiple skin-colored, dome-shaped, firm papules with central umbilication over the trunk. Expressing the lesion yields a white, cheesy material. What is seen histologically in this material?
3. A patient on long-term immunosuppression presents with verrucous (wart-like) lesions over the trunk and limbs. Histology shows koilocytes and intranuclear inclusions. HPV types 5 and 8 are implicated. This condition is associated with which genodermatosis?
4. A 40-year-old immunocompetent man presents with dermatomal grouped vesicles on an erythematous base over the T6 dermatome. The most serious ocular complication from herpes zoster ophthalmicus occurs when which branch is involved?
5. A 25-year-old immunocompromised patient develops recurrent genital HSV-2 infections. Which specific antiviral resistance mechanism leads to acyclovir treatment failure in HSV infections?
6. A child presents with multiple papules on the trunk showing central umbilication. Histopathology reveals large cytoplasmic inclusions (Henderson-Paterson bodies). The causative agent belongs to which virus family?
7. A patient develops widespread vesicles on erythematous skin in a dermatomal distribution on the trunk. He is started on acyclovir. What is the mechanism by which varicella-zoster virus (VZV) develops resistance to acyclovir?
8. A 25-year-old immunocompetent woman presents with multiple anogenital warts (condyloma acuminata) caused by HPV. The HPV subtypes responsible and the protein products mediating malignant transformation are:
9. A 35-year-old immunocompetent patient presents with painful grouped vesicles on an erythematous base in the T3 dermatome (cheek and upper lip) for 5 days. The treatment of choice and dosing for herpes zoster (HZ) involving the face is:
10. A 28-year-old HIV-positive patient (CD4 count 80 cells/μL) develops extensive disfiguring molluscum contagiosum involving the face. The most appropriate management is:
11. Orf (ecthyma contagiosum) is a zoonotic viral infection caused by parapoxvirus, contracted from sheep or goats. The pathognomonic clinical evolution occurs in 6 stages. The characteristic stage 2 lesion is:
12. Hailey-Hailey disease (benign familial pemphigus) and Darier's disease both show acantholysis on histology but involve different molecular mechanisms. In Hailey-Hailey, acantholysis is caused by:
13. A 30-year-old immunocompetent patient with labial herpes simplex virus (HSV-1) infection takes oral valacyclovir 2g twice daily for 1 day for a recurrence. This regimen is known as:
14. A 50-year-old patient develops dermatomal pain followed by vesicular eruption in the V1 distribution (ophthalmic herpes zoster). Hutchinson's sign (vesicles on nasal tip) is present. This sign predicts:
15. Cidofovir is used for treatment of CMV retinitis and severe molluscum contagiosum in HIV/AIDS patients. Its mechanism of action is:
16. A 65-year-old immunocompetent patient develops severe burning pain and vesicular eruption following the T4 dermatome on the left side. He is started on antiviral therapy. Despite adequate antiviral therapy, he develops severe persistent pain (>10/10 on VAS) 6 weeks after the rash has healed. Which mechanism is responsible for this complication?
17. A 25-year-old HIV-positive man (CD4 count 80/µL) presents with multiple, large (>1 cm), umbilicated flesh-coloured papules on the face, neck, and genitalia. He has over 50 lesions. The diagnosis is disseminated molluscum contagiosum. The virus responsible belongs to: