Infections: severe malaria: practice question

A Pediatrics 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.

Try it

Pediatrics · Infections: severe malaria

Sample item

A child with falciparum malaria has cerebral involvement and cannot take oral drugs. What is the preferred drug?

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

The answer and the reasoning

D. Intravenous artesunate

Intravenous artesunate is the drug of choice for severe falciparum malaria, as it lowers mortality compared with quinine. It is followed by a full oral artemisinin combination course. Chloroquine resistance is widespread and primaquine is given only to clear gametocytes or hypnozoites.

Option by option

  • A. Quinine only intramuscular

    Quinine is an alternative if artesunate is not available.

  • B. Primaquine

    Primaquine is not used to treat severe disease.

  • C. Oral chloroquine

    Oral therapy is unsuitable in cerebral malaria, and chloroquine resistance is common.

  • D. Intravenous artesunate (correct)

    Correct. IV artesunate is preferred.

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 Pediatrics questions

Questions about this Pediatrics question

What is the answer to this Pediatrics question?

The best answer is D, Intravenous artesunate. Intravenous artesunate is the drug of choice for severe falciparum malaria, as it lowers mortality compared with quinine.

Why is "Quinine only intramuscular" not the answer?

Quinine is an alternative if artesunate is not available.

Why is "Primaquine" not the answer?

Primaquine is not used to treat severe disease.

Why is "Oral chloroquine" not the answer?

Oral therapy is unsuitable in cerebral malaria, and chloroquine resistance is common.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Infections: severe malaria in Pediatrics. It is followed by a full oral artemisinin combination course. Chloroquine resistance is widespread and primaquine is given only to clear gametocytes or hypnozoites.

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: severe malaria?

Memorise milestones and the vaccine schedule as tables and revise them often. Then use the flashcards and the other Pediatrics 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.