Oral medicine and oral cancer: recurrent herpes labialis: practice question

A Dentistry 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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Dentistry · Oral medicine and oral cancer: recurrent herpes labialis

Sample item

A man has recurrent crops of vesicles on the vermilion border of the lip after sun exposure. Where does the causative virus lie dormant between attacks?

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

The answer and the reasoning

C. Trigeminal ganglion

Herpes simplex virus type 1 establishes latency in the trigeminal ganglion after primary infection and reactivates with sun, fever or stress to cause herpes labialis. Topical or oral aciclovir shortens the episode.

Option by option

  • A. Dorsal root ganglion of C2

    Dorsal root ganglia are sites of varicella-zoster latency and not of orolabial HSV.

  • B. Geniculate ganglion

    The geniculate ganglion is the site of latency implicated in Ramsay Hunt syndrome.

  • C. Trigeminal ganglion (correct)

    Correct. HSV-1 remains latent in the trigeminal ganglion.

  • D. Salivary gland acini

    Salivary glands may shed virus but are not the site of latency.

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 Dentistry question

What is the answer to this Dentistry question?

The best answer is C, Trigeminal ganglion. Herpes simplex virus type 1 establishes latency in the trigeminal ganglion after primary infection and reactivates with sun, fever or stress to cause herpes labialis.

Why is "Dorsal root ganglion of C2" not the answer?

Dorsal root ganglia are sites of varicella-zoster latency and not of orolabial HSV.

Why is "Geniculate ganglion" not the answer?

The geniculate ganglion is the site of latency implicated in Ramsay Hunt syndrome.

Why is "Salivary gland acini" not the answer?

Salivary glands may shed virus but are not the site of latency.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Oral medicine and oral cancer: recurrent herpes labialis in Dentistry. Topical or oral aciclovir shortens the episode.

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 Oral medicine and oral cancer: recurrent herpes labialis?

Learn the dental formula, eruption ages and tooth structure once, as tables. Then use the flashcards and the other Dentistry 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.