Perioperative care: erysipelas: practice question

A General Surgery 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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General Surgery · Perioperative care: erysipelas

Sample item

A woman has a sharply demarcated, raised, shiny red plaque on the cheek with fever and a palpable edge. Which organism is typical?

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

The answer and the reasoning

D. Streptococcus pyogenes

Erysipelas is a superficial dermal infection with a raised, sharply demarcated edge, usually due to group A beta-haemolytic streptococci, and responds to penicillin.

Option by option

  • A. Clostridium perfringens

    Clostridium causes gas gangrene with crepitus.

  • B. Staphylococcus epidermidis

    Skin commensal staphylococci rarely cause erysipelas.

  • C. Pseudomonas aeruginosa

    Pseudomonas is a hospital or burn wound organism.

  • D. Streptococcus pyogenes (correct)

    Correct. Group A streptococcus is the usual cause.

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 General Surgery question

What is the answer to this General Surgery question?

The best answer is D, Streptococcus pyogenes. Erysipelas is a superficial dermal infection with a raised, sharply demarcated edge, usually due to group A beta-haemolytic streptococci, and responds to penicillin.

Why is "Clostridium perfringens" not the answer?

Clostridium causes gas gangrene with crepitus.

Why is "Staphylococcus epidermidis" not the answer?

Skin commensal staphylococci rarely cause erysipelas.

Why is "Pseudomonas aeruginosa" not the answer?

Pseudomonas is a hospital or burn wound organism.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Perioperative care: erysipelas in General Surgery. The correct option holds because: Correct. Group A streptococcus is the usual cause.

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 Perioperative care: erysipelas?

Learn classic signs and eponyms alongside what they diagnose. Then use the flashcards and the other General Surgery 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.