Infections: bacterial, viral, fungal, parasitic: bacillary angiomatosis: 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: bacillary angiomatosis

Sample item

A man with HIV and a CD4 count of 40 has multiple red friable papules like pyogenic granulomas. Biopsy shows lobular capillary proliferation with neutrophils, and Warthin-Starry stain shows clumped bacilli. What is the organism?

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

The answer and the reasoning

C. Bartonella henselae

Bacillary angiomatosis is a vascular proliferation caused by Bartonella henselae or quintana in advanced HIV. Warthin-Starry silver stain shows the organisms, and macrolides or doxycycline are effective.

Option by option

  • A. Treponema pallidum

    Treponema pallidum stains with silver but causes syphilitic lesions, not lobular vascular proliferation.

  • B. Sporothrix schenckii

    Sporothrix is a fungus giving lymphocutaneous nodules.

  • C. Bartonella henselae (correct)

    Correct. Bartonella causes bacillary angiomatosis.

  • D. Mycobacterium avium complex

    Mycobacterium avium complex causes disseminated disease with fever and diarrhoea and does not make vascular papules.

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 Dermatology question

What is the answer to this Dermatology question?

The best answer is C, Bartonella henselae. Bacillary angiomatosis is a vascular proliferation caused by Bartonella henselae or quintana in advanced HIV.

Why is "Treponema pallidum" not the answer?

Treponema pallidum stains with silver but causes syphilitic lesions, not lobular vascular proliferation.

Why is "Sporothrix schenckii" not the answer?

Sporothrix is a fungus giving lymphocutaneous nodules.

Why is "Mycobacterium avium complex" not the answer?

Mycobacterium avium complex causes disseminated disease with fever and diarrhoea and does not make vascular papules.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Infections: bacterial, viral, fungal, parasitic: bacillary angiomatosis in Dermatology. Warthin-Starry silver stain shows the organisms, and macrolides or doxycycline are effective.

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: bacillary angiomatosis?

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.