Toxicology: paraquat: practice question

A Forensic 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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Forensic Medicine · Toxicology: paraquat

Sample item

A farmer drinks a green herbicide and develops oral ulcers and vomiting. Over the next two weeks he has progressive breathlessness and hypoxia, and later renal failure. Which delayed lesion explains the respiratory failure?

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

The answer and the reasoning

D. Pulmonary fibrosis

Paraquat concentrates in the lungs and generates free radicals. This causes alveolar damage followed by progressive pulmonary fibrosis, and there is no specific antidote. The delayed course over days to weeks is typical.

Option by option

  • A. Aspiration pneumonia from gastric content

    Aspiration pneumonia would appear early and does not explain the weeks-long progression.

  • B. Bronchospasm

    Bronchospasm is typical of organophosphate poisoning and not of paraquat.

  • C. Pulmonary embolism

    Embolism causes sudden breathlessness and is not the lesion in paraquat poisoning.

  • D. Pulmonary fibrosis (correct)

    Correct. Paraquat leads to progressive lung fibrosis.

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 Forensic Medicine question

What is the answer to this Forensic Medicine question?

The best answer is D, Pulmonary fibrosis. Paraquat concentrates in the lungs and generates free radicals.

Why is "Aspiration pneumonia from gastric content" not the answer?

Aspiration pneumonia would appear early and does not explain the weeks-long progression.

Why is "Bronchospasm" not the answer?

Bronchospasm is typical of organophosphate poisoning and not of paraquat.

Why is "Pulmonary embolism" not the answer?

Embolism causes sudden breathlessness and is not the lesion in paraquat poisoning.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Toxicology: paraquat in Forensic Medicine. This causes alveolar damage followed by progressive pulmonary fibrosis, and there is no specific antidote. The delayed course over days to weeks is typical.

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 Toxicology: paraquat?

Learn postmortem changes with their timelines, and toxicology as poison, sign, test and antidote. Then use the flashcards and the other Forensic 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.