Soft tissue infection: gas gangrene: practice question

A Orthopaedics 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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Orthopaedics · Soft tissue infection: gas gangrene

Sample item

A farmer with a contaminated open leg wound develops severe pain, a brown discharge and crepitus under the skin. Which organism and toxin are chiefly responsible?

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

The answer and the reasoning

D. Clostridium perfringens, alpha toxin (lecithinase)

Gas gangrene is caused by Clostridium perfringens, whose alpha toxin lecithinase destroys cell membranes and produces myonecrosis and gas. Management is urgent radical debridement, high-dose penicillin with clindamycin, and hyperbaric oxygen where available.

Option by option

  • A. Bacillus anthracis, lethal factor

    Anthrax lethal factor is not involved.

  • B. Staphylococcus aureus, Panton-Valentine leukocidin

    PVL staphylococci cause necrotising pneumonia and skin infections.

  • C. Clostridium tetani, tetanospasmin

    Tetanus toxin causes spasm and not myonecrosis.

  • D. Clostridium perfringens, alpha toxin (lecithinase) (correct)

    Correct. C. perfringens alpha toxin underlies gas gangrene.

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 Orthopaedics question

What is the answer to this Orthopaedics question?

The best answer is D, Clostridium perfringens, alpha toxin (lecithinase). Gas gangrene is caused by Clostridium perfringens, whose alpha toxin lecithinase destroys cell membranes and produces myonecrosis and gas.

Why is "Bacillus anthracis, lethal factor" not the answer?

Anthrax lethal factor is not involved.

Why is "Staphylococcus aureus, Panton-Valentine leukocidin" not the answer?

PVL staphylococci cause necrotising pneumonia and skin infections.

Why is "Clostridium tetani, tetanospasmin" not the answer?

Tetanus toxin causes spasm and not myonecrosis.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Soft tissue infection: gas gangrene in Orthopaedics. Management is urgent radical debridement, high-dose penicillin with clindamycin, and hyperbaric oxygen where available.

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 Soft tissue infection: gas gangrene?

Pair each fracture with its classic complication and nerve injured. Then use the flashcards and the other Orthopaedics 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.