Salivary glands: acute suppurative parotitis: practice question

A ENT question in the style of the NEET PG paper. Answer it first, then read why the right option is right and why each of the others is wrong.

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ENT · Salivary glands: acute suppurative parotitis

Sample item

A dehydrated 80-year-old man after abdominal surgery has a painful tender swelling of the parotid with pus at Stensen's duct opening. What is the commonest organism and the key management?

Original practice item, not a recalled exam question. Nothing here is recorded.

The answer and the reasoning

A. Staphylococcus aureus; hydration, antibiotics and drainage if abscess forms

Acute bacterial parotitis follows reduced salivary flow in dehydrated, debilitated patients and is usually due to Staphylococcus aureus. Treatment is rehydration, oral hygiene, sialogogues, and anti-staphylococcal antibiotics, with drainage for abscess. Pus at the duct orifice is a key sign.

Option by option

  • A. Staphylococcus aureus; hydration, antibiotics and drainage if abscess forms (correct)

    Correct. Staph aureus is the usual organism, and hydration is essential.

  • B. Mumps virus; supportive care only

    Mumps produces bilateral swelling without pus.

  • C. Pseudomonas; surgery only

    Pseudomonas is not the usual organism and antibiotics are needed.

  • D. Mycobacterium tuberculosis; antitubercular therapy

    Tuberculosis is chronic and not purulent at the duct.

Source note: Original NextPrep sample item — pending expert review. This item is original practice material awaiting independent expert review, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.

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Questions about this ENT question

What is the answer to this ENT question?

The best answer is A, Staphylococcus aureus; hydration, antibiotics and drainage if abscess forms. Acute bacterial parotitis follows reduced salivary flow in dehydrated, debilitated patients and is usually due to Staphylococcus aureus.

Why is "Mumps virus; supportive care only" not the answer?

Mumps produces bilateral swelling without pus.

Why is "Pseudomonas; surgery only" not the answer?

Pseudomonas is not the usual organism and antibiotics are needed.

Why is "Mycobacterium tuberculosis; antitubercular therapy" not the answer?

Tuberculosis is chronic and not purulent at the duct.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Salivary glands: acute suppurative parotitis in ENT. Treatment is rehydration, oral hygiene, sialogogues, and anti-staphylococcal antibiotics, with drainage for abscess. Pus at the duct orifice is a key sign.

How hard is this question?

We tag it as an application question: it asks you to use a fact on a patient or a finding. The tag is our own editorial judgement, not an official difficulty rating, so read the reason for every option, not only the answer.

How should I study Salivary glands: acute suppurative parotitis?

Learn tuning fork results and audiogram patterns by sketching them. Then use the flashcards and the other ENT questions on this site to test what stuck.

Is this a real NEET PG question?

No. It is an original practice item (editorial status: sample, version 1). NextPrep does not publish recalled or leaked questions, and independent faculty review of this item has not been completed yet, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.