Questions
Human polyomavirus 7: Questions
Study questions about Human polyomavirus 7: multiple-choice, clinical scenarios, short-answer and exam-style.
Mock Exam mode
Sit this set one question at a time. Multiple-choice questions mark themselves; written questions reveal a tickable mark scheme so you can score your own answer. You get a combined score at the end.
5 questions: 5 MCQ, 0 written.
- MCQ
The skin disease rarely associated with HPyV7 in immunosuppressed patients is:
- A. A pruritic brown hyperproliferative plaque-like eruption
- B. An aggressive, rapidly growing neuroendocrine nodule on sun-exposed skin
- C. Facial keratin spicules with loss of the eyebrows
- D. Painful vesicles in a dermatomal distribution
- E. A non-healing indurated genital ulcer
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Correct answer: A
Why A
In a few immunosuppressed patients HPyV7 has been linked to a pruritic, brown, plaque-like hyperproliferative eruption. A neuroendocrine nodule is Merkel cell carcinoma, facial keratin spicules are trichodysplasia spinulosa, dermatomal vesicles are zoster, and a genital ulcer points to other causes.
- MCQ
Detecting HPyV7 DNA on a swab of normal-appearing skin:
- A. Confirms active HPyV7 skin disease
- B. Indicates a substantially higher risk of future cutaneous malignancy
- C. Has no clinical significance, as the virus is a normal commensal
- D. Requires immediate antiviral treatment
- E. Mandates urgent reduction of immunosuppression
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Correct answer: C
Why C
HPyV7 is part of the normal skin flora, so finding its DNA on intact skin carries no clinical meaning; the rare associated disease is diagnosed on biopsy of an actual lesion, not by detection of the virus on healthy skin. It does not confirm disease, predict cancer, or by itself warrant treatment.
- MCQ
HPyV7 belongs to which polyomavirus genus?
- A. Alphapolyomavirus
- B. Betapolyomavirus
- C. Gammapolyomavirus
- D. Deltapolyomavirus
- E. Epsilonpolyomavirus
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Correct answer: D
Why D
HPyV7 (Deltapolyomavirus septihominis) is a deltapolyomavirus, the genus of human skin and gut commensals that also contains HPyV6, 10 and 11. The alphapolyomaviruses include Merkel cell and trichodysplasia spinulosa viruses, and the betapolyomaviruses include BK and JC.
- MCQ
In the immunocompetent host, HPyV7 is:
- A. A cause of progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy
- B. A harmless commensal of the skin
- C. A cause of post-transplant haemorrhagic cystitis
- D. An oncogenic virus causing skin cancer
- E. A cause of acute viral hepatitis
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Correct answer: B
Why B
HPyV7 is a near-universal, generally harmless component of the skin flora, with no recognised disease in immunocompetent people. PML is JC virus, haemorrhagic cystitis is BK virus, and HPyV7 is not oncogenic and does not cause hepatitis.
- MCQ
The management of HPyV7-associated skin disease is principally to:
- A. Excise all affected areas of skin widely with generous surgical margins
- B. Give systemic cytotoxic chemotherapy
- C. Start lifelong systemic aciclovir
- D. Administer an HPyV7 vaccine
- E. Reduce immunosuppression where possible
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Correct answer: E
Why E
Control of the polyomaviruses depends on cellular immunity, so the principal measure is to reduce immunosuppression where the underlying condition allows, with supportive skin care otherwise. There is no antiviral of proven benefit, no vaccine, and the disease is benign, so excision and chemotherapy have no place.