Infections: bacterial, viral, fungal, parasitic: paracoccidioidomycosis: practice question

A Dermatology 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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Dermatology · Infections: bacterial, viral, fungal, parasitic: paracoccidioidomycosis

Sample item

A rural farm worker from Latin America has painful, granular ulcers of the mouth and nose with enlarged cervical nodes. Biopsy shows a large round yeast with multiple narrow-necked buds radiating around it. Which organism is this?

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

The answer and the reasoning

C. Paracoccidioides brasiliensis

Paracoccidioides brasiliensis forms a large mother yeast with multiple peripheral buds that give a ship's wheel appearance. It causes chronic mucocutaneous disease in Latin American agricultural workers, and itraconazole is the usual treatment.

Option by option

  • A. Blastomyces dermatitidis

    Blastomyces has a single broad-based bud and not multiple radiating buds.

  • B. Coccidioides immitis

    Coccidioides forms spherules filled with endospores in tissue.

  • C. Paracoccidioides brasiliensis (correct)

    Correct. A mother yeast ringed by multiple buds is the signature of Paracoccidioides.

  • D. Histoplasma capsulatum

    Histoplasma is a tiny intracellular yeast with narrow-based buds.

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 Dermatology questions

Questions about this Dermatology question

What is the answer to this Dermatology question?

The best answer is C, Paracoccidioides brasiliensis. Paracoccidioides brasiliensis forms a large mother yeast with multiple peripheral buds that give a ship's wheel appearance.

Why is "Blastomyces dermatitidis" not the answer?

Blastomyces has a single broad-based bud and not multiple radiating buds.

Why is "Coccidioides immitis" not the answer?

Coccidioides forms spherules filled with endospores in tissue.

Why is "Histoplasma capsulatum" not the answer?

Histoplasma is a tiny intracellular yeast with narrow-based buds.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Infections: bacterial, viral, fungal, parasitic: paracoccidioidomycosis in Dermatology. It causes chronic mucocutaneous disease in Latin American agricultural workers, and itraconazole is the usual treatment.

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 Infections: bacterial, viral, fungal, parasitic: paracoccidioidomycosis?

Learn each condition by its primary lesion, site and signature sign. Then use the flashcards and the other Dermatology 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.