Community dentistry: needlestick injury after hepatitis B exposure: 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 · Community dentistry: needlestick injury after hepatitis B exposure

Sample item

An unvaccinated dental student sustains a needlestick injury from a patient who is HBsAg positive. What is the most appropriate management?

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

The answer and the reasoning

C. Wash the site, then give immunoglobulin and vaccine

The wound should be washed with soap and running water, without squeezing or scrubbing. An unvaccinated exposed person needs both passive protection with hepatitis B immunoglobulin and active immunisation with the vaccine series, ideally within 24 hours. Baseline testing and follow-up are also advised.

Option by option

  • A. Give hepatitis B immunoglobulin alone with no vaccine

    Immunoglobulin alone gives only short-lived protection without vaccination.

  • B. Squeeze the wound and scrub it hard with bleach

    Squeezing and scrubbing damage tissue and bleach is not recommended.

  • C. Wash the site, then give immunoglobulin and vaccine (correct)

    Correct. Local washing plus immunoglobulin and vaccine gives immediate and lasting protection.

  • D. Give the hepatitis B vaccine alone and wait for antibody

    Vaccine alone gives no immediate protection while antibodies develop.

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, Wash the site, then give immunoglobulin and vaccine. The wound should be washed with soap and running water, without squeezing or scrubbing.

Why is "Give hepatitis B immunoglobulin alone with no vaccine" not the answer?

Immunoglobulin alone gives only short-lived protection without vaccination.

Why is "Squeeze the wound and scrub it hard with bleach" not the answer?

Squeezing and scrubbing damage tissue and bleach is not recommended.

Why is "Give the hepatitis B vaccine alone and wait for antibody" not the answer?

Vaccine alone gives no immediate protection while antibodies develop.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Community dentistry: needlestick injury after hepatitis B exposure in Dentistry. An unvaccinated exposed person needs both passive protection with hepatitis B immunoglobulin and active immunisation with the vaccine series, ideally within 24 hours. Baseline testing and follow-up are also advised.

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 Community dentistry: needlestick injury after hepatitis B exposure?

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.