Virology: hepatitis E: 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.

Try it

Microbiology · Virology: hepatitis E

Sample item

After floods contaminate the water supply of a village, many adults develop jaundice, and a pregnant woman in the third trimester develops fulminant hepatic failure. Which agent is most likely?

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

The answer and the reasoning

D. Hepatitis E virus

Hepatitis E is a waterborne virus that causes epidemics in the Indian subcontinent, mainly in young adults. Infection in pregnancy, especially the third trimester, carries a high risk of fulminant hepatitis and death. It does not cause chronic disease in healthy hosts, and diagnosis is by IgM anti-HEV or RNA.

Option by option

  • A. Hepatitis B virus

    Hepatitis B is blood-borne and does not cause waterborne epidemics.

  • B. Hepatitis A virus

    Hepatitis A is also spread in water but affects mainly children and is not especially fatal in pregnancy.

  • C. Hepatitis C virus

    Hepatitis C is blood-borne and rarely presents as acute fulminant epidemics.

  • D. Hepatitis E virus (correct)

    Correct. Hepatitis E epidemics after water contamination are typical and pregnancy carries a high fatality.

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 D, Hepatitis E virus. Hepatitis E is a waterborne virus that causes epidemics in the Indian subcontinent, mainly in young adults.

Why is "Hepatitis B virus" not the answer?

Hepatitis B is blood-borne and does not cause waterborne epidemics.

Why is "Hepatitis A virus" not the answer?

Hepatitis A is also spread in water but affects mainly children and is not especially fatal in pregnancy.

Why is "Hepatitis C virus" not the answer?

Hepatitis C is blood-borne and rarely presents as acute fulminant epidemics.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Virology: hepatitis E in Microbiology. Infection in pregnancy, especially the third trimester, carries a high risk of fulminant hepatitis and death. It does not cause chronic disease in healthy hosts, and diagnosis is by IgM anti-HEV or RNA.

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 Virology: hepatitis E?

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.