Toxicology: Bacillus cereus food poisoning: 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: Bacillus cereus food poisoning

Sample item

Eight guests develop vomiting two hours after eating fried rice kept warm for hours at a wedding. None has fever. Which organism is responsible?

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

The answer and the reasoning

B. Bacillus cereus

Bacillus cereus forms heat-stable emetic toxin in cooked rice kept warm, causing vomiting within one to six hours. Clostridium perfringens gives diarrhoea after eight to sixteen hours, Salmonella causes fever and diarrhoea after a longer incubation.

Option by option

  • A. Salmonella enteritidis

    Salmonella causes fever and diarrhoea after twelve to seventy-two hours.

  • B. Bacillus cereus (correct)

    Correct. Reheated or held fried rice with early vomiting suggests Bacillus cereus.

  • C. Clostridium perfringens

    Clostridium perfringens causes diarrhoea and cramps after a longer incubation.

  • D. Vibrio parahaemolyticus

    Vibrio parahaemolyticus is linked with raw seafood and gives watery diarrhoea.

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 B, Bacillus cereus. Bacillus cereus forms heat-stable emetic toxin in cooked rice kept warm, causing vomiting within one to six hours.

Why is "Salmonella enteritidis" not the answer?

Salmonella causes fever and diarrhoea after twelve to seventy-two hours.

Why is "Clostridium perfringens" not the answer?

Clostridium perfringens causes diarrhoea and cramps after a longer incubation.

Why is "Vibrio parahaemolyticus" not the answer?

Vibrio parahaemolyticus is linked with raw seafood and gives watery diarrhoea.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Toxicology: Bacillus cereus food poisoning in Forensic Medicine. Clostridium perfringens gives diarrhoea after eight to sixteen hours, Salmonella causes fever and diarrhoea after a longer incubation.

How hard is this question?

We tag it as a multi-step question: it asks you to combine more than one idea. 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: Bacillus cereus food poisoning?

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.