Negri bodies were found in which disease condition?

Appeared in: RUHS, Jaipur, M.Sc Nursing Entrance Exam-2018

Explanation

Negri bodies are the pathognomonic (specifically characteristic) finding for Rabies.
These are eosinophilic, intracytoplasmic inclusion bodies that develop in the cytoplasm of neurons infected with the rabies virus.
Their presence is considered diagnostic for rabies upon microscopic examination of brain tissue.
They are most frequently located in the nerve cells of the hippocampus and cerebellum.

Why Other Options Were Wrong

Option A: Measles (Rubeola) is not associated with Negri bodies. Its characteristic findings include Koplik's spots on the buccal mucosa and, histologically, multinucleated giant cells known as Warthin-Finkeldey cells.
Option C: Rubella (German Measles) is not associated with Negri bodies. A characteristic sign, though not always present, is Forchheimer spots, which are small, red spots on the soft palate.
Option D: Pertussis, or whooping cough, is a bacterial infection caused by Bordetella pertussis. As it is not a viral disease that forms inclusion bodies, it is not associated with Negri bodies.

Related Visual

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: Knowing Pathognomonic signs of infectious diseases helps nurses interpret findings accurately and avoid errors in routine assessment, medication administration, and patient teaching.
Recognizing the association between Negri bodies and rabies is crucial for understanding the diagnosis of this fatal neurological disease.
Nursing care for a suspected rabies exposure involves immediate and thorough wound cleaning with soap and water, followed by the administration of post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP), which includes the rabies vaccine and Human Rabies Immune Globulin (HRIG).
Once clinical symptoms of rabies appear, the disease is nearly always fatal. Therefore, the primary nursing focus is on prevention through vaccination and prompt PEP after exposure.

How to Approach the Question

This is a factual recall question that tests your knowledge of specific pathological findings.
Identify the key term in the question: 'Negri bodies'.
Access your memory of microbiology and pathology to link this specific term to a disease.
Recall that Negri bodies are uniquely associated with rabies.
Evaluate the options provided to find 'Rabies'.
Confirm the choice by mentally ruling out the other options and their own characteristic signs (e.g., Measles and Koplik's spots).

Concept Tested & Keywords

Concept Tested: Pathognomonic signs of infectious diseases
Stem keywords: Negri bodies, disease condition
Lead-in keywords: found in

Question ID

Q2RYUFr-QsPdHFT2V48ySA

Reference Book

E6 Robert Boland, Marcia L. Verduin - Kaplan and Sadock's Comprehensive Text of Psychiatry-Wolters Kluwer Health (2024) (pp 1-16525 of 16525) p. 2036-2038

E6 Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics(2024) — Volume 1 pp. 1966-1968, 1971-1973

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