Communicable diseases: polio and AFP surveillance: practice question

A PSM 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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PSM · Communicable diseases: polio and AFP surveillance

Sample item

A 3-year-old unvaccinated child develops asymmetric flaccid paralysis of the left leg with fever 3 days earlier. Sensation is intact. Under the AFP surveillance system, which action is essential to confirm or exclude poliovirus infection?

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

The answer and the reasoning

B. Collect two stool samples at least 24 hours apart within 14 days of paralysis onset

Any child below 15 years with acute flaccid paralysis is a suspected polio case and must be reported at once. Two stool specimens, collected at least 24 hours apart and within 14 days of onset, are sent to a WHO-accredited laboratory for virus isolation, and a follow-up examination at 60 days looks for residual paralysis. Reporting must not wait for the laboratory result.

Option by option

  • A. Collect one stool sample after 4 weeks to see residual paralysis

    A stool sample taken after 4 weeks is outside the 14-day window when virus shedding is reliably detected.

  • B. Collect two stool samples at least 24 hours apart within 14 days of paralysis onset (correct)

    Correct. Two adequate stool samples within 14 days give the highest yield of poliovirus isolation.

  • C. Send a single throat swab within 24 hours of onset

    Poliovirus is isolated from stool, where it is shed for weeks; a throat swab has low yield and is not the standard sample.

  • D. Send cerebrospinal fluid for polio antibody titres and wait for results before reporting

    Reporting must be immediate, and CSF antibody titres are not the standard confirmatory test for AFP surveillance.

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 PSM questions

Questions about this PSM question

What is the answer to this PSM question?

The best answer is B, Collect two stool samples at least 24 hours apart within 14 days of paralysis onset. Any child below 15 years with acute flaccid paralysis is a suspected polio case and must be reported at once.

Why is "Collect one stool sample after 4 weeks to see residual paralysis" not the answer?

A stool sample taken after 4 weeks is outside the 14-day window when virus shedding is reliably detected.

Why is "Send a single throat swab within 24 hours of onset" not the answer?

Poliovirus is isolated from stool, where it is shed for weeks; a throat swab has low yield and is not the standard sample.

Why is "Send cerebrospinal fluid for polio antibody titres and wait for resul…" not the answer?

Reporting must be immediate, and CSF antibody titres are not the standard confirmatory test for AFP surveillance.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Communicable diseases: polio and AFP surveillance in PSM. Two stool specimens, collected at least 24 hours apart and within 14 days of onset, are sent to a WHO-accredited laboratory for virus isolation, and a follow-up examination at 60 days looks for residual paralysis. Reporting must not wait for the laboratory result.

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 Communicable diseases: polio and AFP surveillance?

Practise biostatistics with small calculations until sensitivity, predictive values and risk measures are automatic. Then use the flashcards and the other PSM 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.