Bacteriology: trench fever: practice question

A Microbiology 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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Microbiology · Bacteriology: trench fever

Sample item

A homeless man with body lice has recurrent fever lasting about five days, with headache and severe bilateral shin pain. A blood smear shows no spirochaetes and there is no rash. Which organism is the likely cause?

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

The answer and the reasoning

B. Bartonella quintana

Trench fever is caused by Bartonella quintana, transmitted by body louse faeces rubbed into abraded skin. It causes relapsing five-day fever with shin pain, and the same organism can cause culture-negative endocarditis in the homeless.

Option by option

  • A. Borrelia recurrentis

    Borrelia recurrentis causes louse-borne relapsing fever with spirochaetes visible on smear.

  • B. Bartonella quintana (correct)

    Correct. Louse-borne recurrent fever with shin pain and no spirochaetes is trench fever.

  • C. Coxiella burnetii

    Coxiella burnetii spreads by inhaled aerosols from livestock, not by lice.

  • D. Rickettsia prowazekii

    Rickettsia prowazekii causes epidemic typhus with a centrifugal rash and prostration.

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 Microbiology question

What is the answer to this Microbiology question?

The best answer is B, Bartonella quintana. Trench fever is caused by Bartonella quintana, transmitted by body louse faeces rubbed into abraded skin.

Why is "Borrelia recurrentis" not the answer?

Borrelia recurrentis causes louse-borne relapsing fever with spirochaetes visible on smear.

Why is "Coxiella burnetii" not the answer?

Coxiella burnetii spreads by inhaled aerosols from livestock, not by lice.

Why is "Rickettsia prowazekii" not the answer?

Rickettsia prowazekii causes epidemic typhus with a centrifugal rash and prostration.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Bacteriology: trench fever in Microbiology. It causes relapsing five-day fever with shin pain, and the same organism can cause culture-negative endocarditis in the homeless.

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 Bacteriology: trench fever?

Make a one-line identity card for each organism: shape and stain, defining test, toxin, disease and drug. Then use the flashcards and the other Microbiology 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.