OVERVIEW
This page is dedicated to organizing various examples of standardized exam questions whose answer is measles. While this may seem a odd practice, it is useful to see multiple examples of how measles 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 7 year old girl is brought to the clinic for a rash that began a day ago. The patient has a cough, congestion, discharge emanating from her right eye, and also a fever for the past 3 days. The parents explain act her rash began on the face and then spread to other parts of the body. Her temperature is 102.2°F, pulse is 98/min, respirations are 17/min, and blood pressure is 120/80 mm Hg. A dermatological examination reveals the presence of a red maculopapular rash that involves the face, trunk, and the extremities. There are no skin findings on the palms or soles of the feet. What is a diagnosis that can explain this presentation?
Question # 2
A 3 year old boy is brought to the pediatrician because he has had a high grade fever for the past week. The patient also appears to have had difficulty breathing during this time. The parents explain that they first noticed a rash on the child’s face last week, and since then it has spread to his trunk and extremities. Prior to the onset of the rash the child had a nonproductive cough, a runny nose, teary eyes, and sporadic nasal congestion. The family lives in a rural town in Ghana and are in the US for the holidays to visit family. This child has never received any immunizations. Currently his temperature is 102.0°F and respirations are 45/min. His physical exam is notable for a diffuse erythematous, maculopapular rash all over the body (that spares the palms/soles). Auscultation reveals the presence of bilateral crackles. What might be the likely diagnosis in this patient?
Page Updated: 11.19.2016