NR 283 / NR283 Pathophysiology QUESTIONS AND
ANSWERS
(Exam 1, Exam 2, Exam 3)
1. Which of the following areas lacks blood vessels and nerves?
a. Epidermis
b. Dermis
c. Subcutaneous tissue
d. Fatty tissue
ANS: A
2. What is a raised, thin-walled lesion containing clear fluid called?
a. Papule
b. Pustule
c. Vesicle
d. Macule
ANS: C
3. Which of the following is a common effect of a type I hypersensitivity response to
ingested substances?
a. Contact dermatitis
b. Urticaria
c. Discoid lupus erythematosus
d. Psoriasis
ANS: B
4. What change occurs in the skin with psoriasis?
a. Recurrent hypersensitivity reactions
b. Autoimmune response
c. Increased mitosis and shedding of epithelium
d. Basal cell degeneration
ANS: C
5. Which of the following best describes the typical lesion of psoriasis?
a. Purplish papules that can erode and become open ulcers
b. Firm, raised pruritic nodules that can become cancerous
c. Moist, red vesicles, which develop into bleeding ulcers
d. Begins as a red papule and develops into silvery plaques
ANS: D
,6. Why do secondary infections frequently develop in pruritic lesions?
a. Loss of protective sebum
b. Entry of resident flora while scratching the lesion
c. Blockage of sebaceous glands
d. Increased sweat production
ANS: B
7. Which disease is considered an autoimmune disorder?
a. Pemphigus
b. Erysipelas
c. Contact dermatitis
d. Scleroderma
ANS: A
8. Which of the following skin lesions are usually caused by Staphylococcus aureus?
a. Furuncles
b. Verrucae
c. Scabies
d. Tinea
ANS: A
9. Which of the following statements applies to impetigo?
a. Lesions usually appear on the hands and arms.
b. The cause is usually a virus.
c. The infection is highly contagious.
d. Scar tissue is common following infection.
ANS: C
10. What is the common signal that a recurrence of herpes simplex infection is developing?
a. Severe pain around the mouth
b. Malaise and fatigue
c. Fever and severe headaches
d. Mild tingling along the nerve or on the lips
ANS: D
11. Herpes virus is usually spread by all of the following EXCEPT:
a. saliva during an exacerbation and for a short time thereafter.
b. contact with the fluid in the lesion.
c. contaminated blood.
d. autoinoculation by fingers.
ANS: C
,12. How are antiviral drugs effective in treating a viral infection?
a. They destroy the virus if administered for at least 2 weeks.
b. They limit the acute stage and viral shedding.
c. They prevent any systemic effects of viruses.
d. They prevent any secondary bacterial infection.
ANS: B
13. Tinea capitis is an infection involving the:
a. trunk.
b. feet.
c. scalp.
d. nails.
ANS: C
14. Plantar warts are caused by:
a. the fungus aspergillus.
b. a parasitic arthropod.
c. human papillomavirus.
d. the bacterium Streptococcus pyogenes.
ANS: C
15. Which of the following statements regarding acute necrotizing fasciitis is TRUE?
a. Infection is localized in a small area of the epidermis.
b. It is usually caused by S. aureus.
c. Spontaneous recovery usually occurs in 48 hours.
d. Infection rapidly causes extensive tissue necrosis and toxic shock.
ANS: D
16. Which type of microbe causes Tinea infections?
a. Fungus
b. Virus
c. Gram-negative bacterium
d. Mite
ANS: A
17. What causes the pruritus associated with scabies?
a. An allergic reaction to the causative microbe due to endotoxins
b. Mites burrowing into the epidermis and reaction to their feces
c. Bleeding and injected toxin from bites of the larvae
d. Neurotoxins secreted by mites on the skin surface
ANS: B
, 18. How can pediculosis be diagnosed?
a. Pruritus in hairy areas of the body
b. Loss of blood due to lice bites
c. Finding lice in clothing
d. The presence of nits at the base of hair shafts
ANS: D
19. What is the major predisposing factor to squamous cell carcinoma?
a. Viral infection
b. Presence of nevi (moles) on the skin
c. Exposure to ultraviolet light
d. Frequent hypersensitivity reactions
ANS: C
20. All of the following statements apply to malignant melanoma EXCEPT:
a. The malignant cell is a melanocyte.
b. They present as non-pruritic purplish macules.
c. The neoplasm grows rapidly and metastasizes early.
d. The lesion is usually dark or multicolored with an irregular border.
ANS: B
21. Which of the following factors has contributed to the increased incidence of Kaposi’s
sarcoma?
a. Excessive sun exposure
b. Increased number of nevi
c. Increase in immunosuppressed individuals
d. Presence of more seborrheic keratoses
ANS: C
22. Which of the following applies to actinic keratoses?
a. They predispose to malignant melanoma.
b. They arise on skin exposed to ultraviolet radiation.
c. They occur primarily on dark-skinned persons.
d. They are malignant and invasive.
ANS: B
23. Which lesion distinguishes Tinea corporis?
a. Small, brown pruritic lines
b. Painful and pruritic fissures
c. Erythematous ring of vesicles with a clear center
d. Firm, red, painful nodule or pustule
ANS: C
ANSWERS
(Exam 1, Exam 2, Exam 3)
1. Which of the following areas lacks blood vessels and nerves?
a. Epidermis
b. Dermis
c. Subcutaneous tissue
d. Fatty tissue
ANS: A
2. What is a raised, thin-walled lesion containing clear fluid called?
a. Papule
b. Pustule
c. Vesicle
d. Macule
ANS: C
3. Which of the following is a common effect of a type I hypersensitivity response to
ingested substances?
a. Contact dermatitis
b. Urticaria
c. Discoid lupus erythematosus
d. Psoriasis
ANS: B
4. What change occurs in the skin with psoriasis?
a. Recurrent hypersensitivity reactions
b. Autoimmune response
c. Increased mitosis and shedding of epithelium
d. Basal cell degeneration
ANS: C
5. Which of the following best describes the typical lesion of psoriasis?
a. Purplish papules that can erode and become open ulcers
b. Firm, raised pruritic nodules that can become cancerous
c. Moist, red vesicles, which develop into bleeding ulcers
d. Begins as a red papule and develops into silvery plaques
ANS: D
,6. Why do secondary infections frequently develop in pruritic lesions?
a. Loss of protective sebum
b. Entry of resident flora while scratching the lesion
c. Blockage of sebaceous glands
d. Increased sweat production
ANS: B
7. Which disease is considered an autoimmune disorder?
a. Pemphigus
b. Erysipelas
c. Contact dermatitis
d. Scleroderma
ANS: A
8. Which of the following skin lesions are usually caused by Staphylococcus aureus?
a. Furuncles
b. Verrucae
c. Scabies
d. Tinea
ANS: A
9. Which of the following statements applies to impetigo?
a. Lesions usually appear on the hands and arms.
b. The cause is usually a virus.
c. The infection is highly contagious.
d. Scar tissue is common following infection.
ANS: C
10. What is the common signal that a recurrence of herpes simplex infection is developing?
a. Severe pain around the mouth
b. Malaise and fatigue
c. Fever and severe headaches
d. Mild tingling along the nerve or on the lips
ANS: D
11. Herpes virus is usually spread by all of the following EXCEPT:
a. saliva during an exacerbation and for a short time thereafter.
b. contact with the fluid in the lesion.
c. contaminated blood.
d. autoinoculation by fingers.
ANS: C
,12. How are antiviral drugs effective in treating a viral infection?
a. They destroy the virus if administered for at least 2 weeks.
b. They limit the acute stage and viral shedding.
c. They prevent any systemic effects of viruses.
d. They prevent any secondary bacterial infection.
ANS: B
13. Tinea capitis is an infection involving the:
a. trunk.
b. feet.
c. scalp.
d. nails.
ANS: C
14. Plantar warts are caused by:
a. the fungus aspergillus.
b. a parasitic arthropod.
c. human papillomavirus.
d. the bacterium Streptococcus pyogenes.
ANS: C
15. Which of the following statements regarding acute necrotizing fasciitis is TRUE?
a. Infection is localized in a small area of the epidermis.
b. It is usually caused by S. aureus.
c. Spontaneous recovery usually occurs in 48 hours.
d. Infection rapidly causes extensive tissue necrosis and toxic shock.
ANS: D
16. Which type of microbe causes Tinea infections?
a. Fungus
b. Virus
c. Gram-negative bacterium
d. Mite
ANS: A
17. What causes the pruritus associated with scabies?
a. An allergic reaction to the causative microbe due to endotoxins
b. Mites burrowing into the epidermis and reaction to their feces
c. Bleeding and injected toxin from bites of the larvae
d. Neurotoxins secreted by mites on the skin surface
ANS: B
, 18. How can pediculosis be diagnosed?
a. Pruritus in hairy areas of the body
b. Loss of blood due to lice bites
c. Finding lice in clothing
d. The presence of nits at the base of hair shafts
ANS: D
19. What is the major predisposing factor to squamous cell carcinoma?
a. Viral infection
b. Presence of nevi (moles) on the skin
c. Exposure to ultraviolet light
d. Frequent hypersensitivity reactions
ANS: C
20. All of the following statements apply to malignant melanoma EXCEPT:
a. The malignant cell is a melanocyte.
b. They present as non-pruritic purplish macules.
c. The neoplasm grows rapidly and metastasizes early.
d. The lesion is usually dark or multicolored with an irregular border.
ANS: B
21. Which of the following factors has contributed to the increased incidence of Kaposi’s
sarcoma?
a. Excessive sun exposure
b. Increased number of nevi
c. Increase in immunosuppressed individuals
d. Presence of more seborrheic keratoses
ANS: C
22. Which of the following applies to actinic keratoses?
a. They predispose to malignant melanoma.
b. They arise on skin exposed to ultraviolet radiation.
c. They occur primarily on dark-skinned persons.
d. They are malignant and invasive.
ANS: B
23. Which lesion distinguishes Tinea corporis?
a. Small, brown pruritic lines
b. Painful and pruritic fissures
c. Erythematous ring of vesicles with a clear center
d. Firm, red, painful nodule or pustule
ANS: C
