Antiviral drugs: practice question

A Pharmacology 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

Pharmacology · Antiviral drugs

Sample item

An HIV patient with CMV retinitis is treated with ganciclovir. Which adverse effect is most likely to limit therapy?

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

The answer and the reasoning

B. Bone marrow suppression with neutropenia

Ganciclovir inhibits CMV DNA polymerase after viral kinase activation, but it also affects host marrow progenitors. Neutropenia and thrombocytopenia are the common dose-limiting toxicities.

Option by option

  • A. Pancreatitis

    Pancreatitis is associated with didanosine.

  • B. Bone marrow suppression with neutropenia (correct)

    Myelosuppression is its characteristic dose-limiting toxicity.

  • C. Hypersensitivity associated with HLA-B*5701

    HLA-B*5701 hypersensitivity is linked to abacavir.

  • D. Crystalluria with nephrolithiasis

    Crystalluria and stones are characteristic of indinavir.

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 Pharmacology questions

Questions about this Pharmacology question

What is the answer to this Pharmacology question?

The best answer is B, Bone marrow suppression with neutropenia. Ganciclovir inhibits CMV DNA polymerase after viral kinase activation, but it also affects host marrow progenitors.

Why is "Pancreatitis" not the answer?

Pancreatitis is associated with didanosine.

Why is "Hypersensitivity associated with HLA-B*5701" not the answer?

HLA-B*5701 hypersensitivity is linked to abacavir.

Why is "Crystalluria with nephrolithiasis" not the answer?

Crystalluria and stones are characteristic of indinavir.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Antiviral drugs in Pharmacology. Neutropenia and thrombocytopenia are the common dose-limiting toxicities.

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 Antiviral drugs?

Learn drugs as classes, then the exception in each class that an examiner would pick. Then use the flashcards and the other Pharmacology 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.