OVERVIEW
This page is dedicated to organizing various examples of standardized exam questions whose answer is cytomegalovirus infection. While this may seem a odd practice, it is useful to see multiple examples of how cytomegalovirus infection will be characterized on standardized exams (namely the boards and the shelf exams). This page is not meant to be used as a tradition question bank (as all of the answers will be the same), however seeing the classic “test” characterization for a disease is quite valuable.
QUESTION EXAMPLES
Question # 1
A 27 year old woman delivers a 4 lb newborn at 42 weeks gestation. Her delivery was uncomplicated and spontaneous. Her prepartum course was complicated by fetal growth restriction. The mother denies any travel, smiling ,drinking, or use of drugs during the pregnancy. The mother also denies the presence of any pets in the household. A physical exam of the newborn shows hepatosplenomegaly. There are no remarkable findings on the neurological exam. X-rays of the head show periventricular calcifications. What is the most likely cause of this patient’s presentation?
Explanation: Fetal growth restriction + periventricular calcifications = cytomegalovirus infection
Page Updated: 11.09.2016