Immunisation: PCV schedule: practice question

A Pediatrics 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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Pediatrics · Immunisation: PCV schedule

Sample item

Which is the UIP schedule for pneumococcal conjugate vaccine?

ATwo primary doses at 6 and 14 weeks and a booster at 9 monthsBThree doses at 6, 10 and 14 weeksCSingle dose at 12 monthsDBooster at 5 years

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

The answer and the reasoning

A. Two primary doses at 6 and 14 weeks and a booster at 9 months

UIP uses a 2+1 schedule of PCV, with doses at 6 weeks, 14 weeks and a booster at 9 months. The schedule gives a good immune response with fewer injections. IAP advises 3+1 for private use.

Option by option

A. Two primary doses at 6 and 14 weeks and a booster at 9 months (correct)
Correct. The schedule is 2 primary doses and a booster at 9 months.
B. Three doses at 6, 10 and 14 weeks
Three primary doses at 6, 10 and 14 weeks is the schedule of pentavalent.
C. Single dose at 12 months
A single dose is not the UIP schedule.
D. Booster at 5 years
No booster is given at 5 years.

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 Pediatrics question

What is the answer to this Pediatrics question?

The best answer is A, Two primary doses at 6 and 14 weeks and a booster at 9 months. UIP uses a 2+1 schedule of PCV, with doses at 6 weeks, 14 weeks and a booster at 9 months.

Why is "Three doses at 6, 10 and 14 weeks" not the answer?

Three primary doses at 6, 10 and 14 weeks is the schedule of pentavalent.

Why is "Single dose at 12 months" not the answer?

A single dose is not the UIP schedule.

Why is "Booster at 5 years" not the answer?

No booster is given at 5 years.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Immunisation: PCV schedule in Pediatrics. The schedule gives a good immune response with fewer injections. IAP advises 3+1 for private use.

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 Immunisation: PCV schedule?

Memorise milestones and the vaccine schedule as tables and revise them often. Then use the flashcards and the other Pediatrics 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.