Infectious diseases: lepromatous leprosy: practice question

A General Medicine 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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General Medicine · Infectious diseases: lepromatous leprosy

Sample item

A patient has diffuse symmetrical skin infiltration, loss of eyebrows, leonine facies and numerous acid-fast bacilli on slit-skin smear. What is the expected lepromin test result?

ANegativeBStrongly positiveCNot applicable because the test is toxicDPositive only in the first month

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

The answer and the reasoning

A. Negative

Lepromatous leprosy reflects a weak cell-mediated (Th2) response, with a high bacterial load and a negative lepromin test. Tuberculoid leprosy has a strong Th1 response with few bacilli and a strongly positive lepromin test. Lepromin is used for classification and prognosis, not diagnosis.

Option by option

A. Negative (correct)
Correct. Poor cell-mediated immunity gives a negative lepromin test.
B. Strongly positive
A strongly positive result occurs in tuberculoid leprosy.
C. Not applicable because the test is toxic
The test is safe and used for classification.
D. Positive only in the first month
There is no time-limited positivity in this disease.

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.

Questions about this General Medicine question

What is the answer to this General Medicine question?

The best answer is A, Negative. Lepromatous leprosy reflects a weak cell-mediated (Th2) response, with a high bacterial load and a negative lepromin test.

Why is "Strongly positive" not the answer?

A strongly positive result occurs in tuberculoid leprosy.

Why is "Not applicable because the test is toxic" not the answer?

The test is safe and used for classification.

Why is "Positive only in the first month" not the answer?

There is no time-limited positivity in this disease.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Infectious diseases: lepromatous leprosy in General Medicine. Tuberculoid leprosy has a strong Th1 response with few bacilli and a strongly positive lepromin test. Lepromin is used for classification and prognosis, not diagnosis.

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 Infectious diseases: lepromatous leprosy?

For each disease know the classic presentation, the best test, and the first-line treatment. Then use the flashcards and the other General Medicine 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.