Hospital infection control: transmission-based precautions: practice question

A Microbiology 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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Microbiology · Hospital infection control: transmission-based precautions

Sample item

A 7-year-old child admitted with fever and a vesicular rash is diagnosed with chickenpox. Which isolation arrangement is appropriate in the ward?

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

The answer and the reasoning

B. Airborne plus contact precautions in a negative-pressure single room

Varicella virus spreads by airborne droplet nuclei and by contact with vesicle fluid, so patients need a negative-pressure room with the door closed, N95 respirators for staff who must enter, contact precautions while lesions are crusting, and care only by staff with proven immunity. Airborne precautions also apply to tuberculosis and measles.

Option by option

  • A. Protective (reverse) isolation to shield the child from other patients

    Reverse isolation protects immunocompromised patients and is the wrong direction here.

  • B. Airborne plus contact precautions in a negative-pressure single room (correct)

    Correct. Both airborne and contact routes are covered, with immune staff only.

  • C. Droplet precautions with a surgical mask in a shared room

    Droplet precautions and shared rooms fail to contain airborne nuclei and expose susceptible patients.

  • D. Standard precautions alone in the general ward

    Standard precautions alone are not enough for an airborne pathogen.

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 Microbiology questions

Questions about this Microbiology question

What is the answer to this Microbiology question?

The best answer is B, Airborne plus contact precautions in a negative-pressure single room. Varicella virus spreads by airborne droplet nuclei and by contact with vesicle fluid, so patients need a negative-pressure room with the door closed, N95 respirators for staff who must enter, contact precautions while lesions are crusting, and care only by staff with proven immunity.

Why is "Protective (reverse) isolation to shield the child from other patients" not the answer?

Reverse isolation protects immunocompromised patients and is the wrong direction here.

Why is "Droplet precautions with a surgical mask in a shared room" not the answer?

Droplet precautions and shared rooms fail to contain airborne nuclei and expose susceptible patients.

Why is "Standard precautions alone in the general ward" not the answer?

Standard precautions alone are not enough for an airborne pathogen.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Hospital infection control: transmission-based precautions in Microbiology. Airborne precautions also apply to tuberculosis and measles.

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 Hospital infection control: transmission-based precautions?

Make a one-line identity card for each organism: shape and stain, defining test, toxin, disease and drug. Then use the flashcards and the other Microbiology 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.