Communicable diseases: acquisition of cysticercosis: 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: acquisition of cysticercosis

Sample item

A 28-year-old strict vegetarian woman who has never eaten pork has a first generalised seizure. CT shows multiple small cysts, one with a dot-like eccentric nodule. Her cook is found to carry an adult tapeworm in the gut. By which route did she most likely acquire the infection?

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

The answer and the reasoning

B. Swallowing eggs shed in human faeces, through contaminated food or hands

Cysticercosis results from swallowing eggs of Taenia solium, shed in the faeces of a human tapeworm carrier, so the person becomes an intermediate host. Eating undercooked pork gives intestinal taeniasis, not cysticercosis. Carriers handling food are therefore a serious hazard even to vegetarians.

Option by option

  • A. Eating undercooked pork containing larval cysts

    Eating pork with cysticerci produces the adult tapeworm in the gut, not tissue cysts.

  • B. Swallowing eggs shed in human faeces, through contaminated food or hands (correct)

    Correct. Ingested eggs from a carrier release larvae that reach the brain and muscle.

  • C. Eating undercooked beef containing larval cysts

    Beef carries Taenia saginata, which does not cause cysticercosis in humans.

  • D. Larvae penetrating bare skin from contaminated soil

    Skin penetration by larvae describes hookworm and strongyloidiasis, and not this infection.

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 PSM question

What is the answer to this PSM question?

The best answer is B, Swallowing eggs shed in human faeces, through contaminated food or hands. Cysticercosis results from swallowing eggs of Taenia solium, shed in the faeces of a human tapeworm carrier, so the person becomes an intermediate host.

Why is "Eating undercooked pork containing larval cysts" not the answer?

Eating pork with cysticerci produces the adult tapeworm in the gut, not tissue cysts.

Why is "Eating undercooked beef containing larval cysts" not the answer?

Beef carries Taenia saginata, which does not cause cysticercosis in humans.

Why is "Larvae penetrating bare skin from contaminated soil" not the answer?

Skin penetration by larvae describes hookworm and strongyloidiasis, and not this infection.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Communicable diseases: acquisition of cysticercosis in PSM. Eating undercooked pork gives intestinal taeniasis, not cysticercosis. Carriers handling food are therefore a serious hazard even to vegetarians.

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: acquisition of cysticercosis?

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.