Oral medicine and oral cancer: mumps parotitis: practice question

A Dentistry 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

Dentistry · Oral medicine and oral cancer: mumps parotitis

Sample item

A 7-year-old unvaccinated child has fever and painful bilateral swelling in front of and below the ears. A red swollen opening of Stensen's duct is seen. What is the likely cause?

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

The answer and the reasoning

D. Mumps virus

Mumps is a paramyxovirus infection causing parotitis, often bilateral, with swelling and redness at the orifice of Stensen's duct. Orchitis and aseptic meningitis are complications.

Option by option

  • A. Streptococcus mutans

    S. mutans causes dental caries and not parotid swelling.

  • B. Staphylococcus aureus

    S. aureus causes unilateral suppurative parotitis, usually in dehydrated adults.

  • C. Coxsackie A virus

    Coxsackie A gives hand, foot and mouth disease and herpangina.

  • D. Mumps virus (correct)

    Correct. Bilateral parotitis in an unvaccinated child suggests mumps.

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 Dentistry questions

Questions about this Dentistry question

What is the answer to this Dentistry question?

The best answer is D, Mumps virus. Mumps is a paramyxovirus infection causing parotitis, often bilateral, with swelling and redness at the orifice of Stensen's duct.

Why is "Streptococcus mutans" not the answer?

S. mutans causes dental caries and not parotid swelling.

Why is "Staphylococcus aureus" not the answer?

S. aureus causes unilateral suppurative parotitis, usually in dehydrated adults.

Why is "Coxsackie A virus" not the answer?

Coxsackie A gives hand, foot and mouth disease and herpangina.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Oral medicine and oral cancer: mumps parotitis in Dentistry. Orchitis and aseptic meningitis are complications.

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 Oral medicine and oral cancer: mumps parotitis?

Learn the dental formula, eruption ages and tooth structure once, as tables. Then use the flashcards and the other Dentistry 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.