Infections: plane warts: practice question

A Dermatology 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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Dermatology · Infections: plane warts

Sample item

A teenager has dozens of flat, skin-coloured to pale brown, slightly raised papules on the face and dorsal hands, which appear in lines along scratch marks. Which feature best describes the cause?

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

The answer and the reasoning

A. Human papillomavirus, with Koebner-type linear spread

Verruca plana is caused mainly by HPV types 3 and 10, and linear arrangement follows autoinoculation through scratching, an isomorphic response. Lesions are flat-topped and small. Molluscum lesions are dome-shaped with central dimples.

Option by option

  • A. Human papillomavirus, with Koebner-type linear spread (correct)

    Correct. Flat warts are HPV-induced and spread along scratches.

  • B. Poxvirus with Henderson-Patterson bodies

    Henderson-Patterson bodies are seen in molluscum, not in flat warts.

  • C. Molluscum contagiosum virus with central umbilication

    Molluscum papules are umbilicated and pearly rather than flat-topped.

  • D. Herpes simplex virus with grouped vesicles

    HSV produces grouped vesicles, not stable flat papules.

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.

More Dermatology questions

Questions about this Dermatology question

What is the answer to this Dermatology question?

The best answer is A, Human papillomavirus, with Koebner-type linear spread. Verruca plana is caused mainly by HPV types 3 and 10, and linear arrangement follows autoinoculation through scratching, an isomorphic response.

Why is "Poxvirus with Henderson-Patterson bodies" not the answer?

Henderson-Patterson bodies are seen in molluscum, not in flat warts.

Why is "Molluscum contagiosum virus with central umbilication" not the answer?

Molluscum papules are umbilicated and pearly rather than flat-topped.

Why is "Herpes simplex virus with grouped vesicles" not the answer?

HSV produces grouped vesicles, not stable flat papules.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Infections: plane warts in Dermatology. Lesions are flat-topped and small. Molluscum lesions are dome-shaped with central dimples.

How hard is this question?

We tag it as a multi-step question: it asks you to combine more than one idea. 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 Infections: plane warts?

Learn each condition by its primary lesion, site and signature sign. Then use the flashcards and the other Dermatology 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.