Chapter 24 Pathogenic DNA Viruses
24.1 Multiple Choice Questions
1) What is unique about the Hepadnaviridae family of viruses?
A) They contain RNA.
B) They contain double-stranded RNA.
C) They contain single-stranded DNA.
D) They contain double-stranded DNA.
E) They contain both single-stranded DNA and double-stranded DNA.
2) Which of the following characteristics are common to Poxviridae, Herpesviridae, and
Hepadnaviridae?
A) double-stranded DNA in the virion
B) a complex capsid
C) the presence of an envelope
D) double-stranded DNA in the virion with a complex capsid
E) double-stranded DNA in the virion and the presence of an envelope
3) Which of the follow produces a rash that leaves permanent scars on the skin?
A) Herpesviridae
B) Papillomaviridae
C) Poxviridae
D) Adenoviridae
E) Polyomaviridae
4) Which of the following lesions is a hard, raised sore?
A) macule
B) papule
C) vesicle
D) pustule
E) pox
5) High fever, headache, extreme fatigue, and a rash on the face that progresses to fluid- and
pus-filled sores before crusting over and healing are signs and symptoms consistent with
infection with
A) adenovirus.
B) herpesvirus.
C) papillomavirus.
D) polyomavirus.
E) poxvirus.
6) Which of the following statements is TRUE of both molluscum contagiosum and smallpox?
A) A genital form of the disease exists.
B) A vaccine is available.
C) The causative agent is a large dsDNA virus with a complex capsid.
D) The rash forms fluid-filled vesicles that become pustules.
E) It has a morality rate of 20%.
7) Which of the following poxviruses are zoonoses?
A) molluscum contagiosum
B) smallpox
C) cowpox
D) monkeypox
E) both cowpox and monkeypox
8) A teenager shows up at a clinic with lesions on his face. The sores are raised, light-colored
bumps with a waxy texture. A few similar lesions are present on the torso as well. With which
of the following viruses might he be infected?
A) human herpesvirus 1
B) B19 virus
C) human herpesvirus 4
D) molluscum contagiosum
E) papillomavirus
9) Which of the following families of DNA viruses is the most prevalent in humans?
A) Poxviridae
B) Herpesviridae
C) Adenoviridae
D) Polyomaviridae
E) Rhinoviridae
10) What cell type can the Simplexviruses infect latently?
A) B cells
B) epithelial cells
C) neurons
D) T cells
E) multiple cell types
11) An older adult is complaining of an intensely painful rash that has appeared as a patch on
one side of his chest. This description is consistent with
A) chickenpox.
B) roseola.
C) shingles.
D) smallpox.
E) whitlow.
12) What makes neonatal herpes a very serious condition?
A) The potential for life-long infection.
B) Central nervous system infection of the neonate.
C) HHV infection of the bone marrow.
D) Development of lymphoma.
E) The potential for oncogenesis.
13) Characteristic features of the herpesvirus used for diagnosis include the
A) presence of recurring lesions in the lip or genital regions.
B) presence of syncytia in infected tissue.
C) presence of recurring lesions in the lip or genital regions and syncytia in infected tissue.
D) ability of the virus to be transmitted to neonates.
E) presence of viruses intracellularly years after recovery from the infection.
14) Shingles, or herpes zoster, is caused by the virus that also causes
A) cold sores.
B) chickenpox.
C) smallpox.
D) molluscum contagiosum.
E) warts.
15) Human herpesvirus 4 (EBV) is implicated in which of the following diseases?
A) Hodgkin’s lymphoma
B) cervical cancer
C) oral hairy leukoplakia
D) chronic fatigue syndrome
E) Hodgkin’s lymphoma, chronic fatigue syndrome, and oral hairy leukoplakia
16) What is the most prevalent viral infection seen in neonates?
A) human herpesvirus 1
B) human herpesvirus 2
C) human herpesvirus 4 (EBV)
D) varicella-zoster virus
E) cytomegalovirus
17) Where does human herpesvirus 4 (EBV) become latent?
A) in the dorsal root ganglion
B) in B lymphocytes
C) in cytotoxic T lymphocytes
D) in brachial ganglia
E) in oligodendrocytes
18) Which of the following statements concerning genital warts is FALSE?
A) They can be transmitted via fomites.
B) They can travel to different locations on the same individual by autoinoculation.
C) They can be sexually transmitted.
D) The virus may remain latent and cause lesions at a later time.
E) The incidence is relatively low because treatment is available.
19) Pinkeye can be the result of infection with
A) human herpesvirus 7.
B) a polyomavirus.
C) an adenovirus.
D) a poxvirus.
E) human herpesvirus 4.
20) The polyomavirus known as BK may establish latent infection of
A) B lymphocytes.
B) liver cells.
C) bone marrow stem cells.
D) nerve cells.
E) kidney cells.
21) Which of the following viruses is a DNA virus that infects liver cells?
A) hepadnaviruses
B) herpesviruses
C) polyomaviruses
D) poxviruses
E) adenoviruses
22) Adenoviruses infect
A) the digestive tract.
B) the respiratory tract.
C) the nervous system.
D) both the digestive tract and the respiratory tract.
E) both the respiratory tract and the nervous system.
23) A young man goes to a clinic complaining of discomfort in his foot, especially when
standing. Upon examination, the clinician observes raised bumps with rough surfaces on the
sole of his foot. These lesions are consistent with
A) whitlow.
B) erythema infectiosum.
C) molluscum contagiosum.
D) shingles.
E) warts.
24) Which of the following is the only DNA virus that can cause viral hepatitis?
A) hepatitis A virus
B) hepatitis B virus
C) hepatitis C virus
D) hepatitis D virus
E) hepatitis E virus
25) Gamma interferon is sometimes used to treat infections with
A) adenoviruses.
B) herpesviruses.
C) poxviruses.
D) parvoviruses.
E) both herpesviruses and poxviruses.
26) Which of the following increases the risk of permanent liver damage with hepatitis B
infection?
A) coinfection with human herpesvirus 4
B) coinfection with hepatitis D virus
C) coinfection with HHV-6
D) coinfection with human herpesvirus 4 and hepatitis D virus
E) coinfection with hepatitis D virus and HHV-6
27) Hepatitis B virus releases a large amount of viral antigen, which benefits the patient by
A) producing a stronger cellular immune response.
B) activating antibody mediated immunity.
C) making it easier to develop a vaccine.
D) allowing for better treatment.
E) ensuring plentiful substrate for binding with labeled antibodies in diagnostic tests.
28) Which of the following statements concerning the hepatitis B vaccine is FALSE?
A) It must be given in three doses.
B) It is protective against the virus in 95% of vaccinated individuals.
C) It is recommended for high-risk groups.
D) It must be repeated every five years.
E) Immunity can last at least 20 years and may be for life.
29) Which of the following statements regarding the association of hepatitis B with liver cancer
is FALSE?
A) Geographic areas with a high incidence of liver cancer also have a high prevalence of
hepatitis B.
B) The HBV genome has been found integrated into hepatic cancer cells.
C) Hepatic cancer cells typically express HBV antigen.
D) Chronic carriers of the virus are 200 times more likely to develop hepatic cancer.
E) Vaccination does not provide protection against the development of hepatic cancer.
30) Which of the following viruses are the only ssDNA viruses that cause disease in humans?
A) Parvoviridae
B) Hepadnaviridae
C) Poxviridae
D) Polyomaviridae
E) Herpesviridae
31) Which of the following viruses is responsible for erythema infectiosum?
A) adenoviruses
B) human herpesvirus 1
C) varicella
D) human herpesvirus 4
E) B19 virus
32) A new virus is discovered that has double stranded DNA and no envelope. The highly
purified virions form large crystals. This new virus is most likely a member of which virus
family?
A) Adenoviridae
B) Herpesviridae
C) Papillomarviridae
D) Poxviridae
E) Papillomaviridae
33) The large size of poxviruses allows them to
A) be easily isolated in infected cells.
B) attach to both animal and human cells.
C) provoke a strong immune response in the host.
D) travel in droplets.
E) be potential vectors for genetic engineering of vaccines.
34) What viral disease has been successfully eradicated?
A) smallpox
B) cowpox
C) vaccinia
D) varicella
E) erythrovirus
35) Which of the following viruses are oncogenic?
A) parvovirus
B) human herpesvirus 4
C) papillomavirus
D) both human herpesvirus 4 and papillomavirus
E) both parvovirus and human herpesvirus 4
36) The common name for the disease caused by human parvovirus B19 is
A) kissing disease.
B) fourth disease.
C) fifth disease.
D) shingles.
E) Reyes’ syndrome.
37) What is the likelihood the average college freshman has been infected with HHV-4, also
known as Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)?
A) 70%
B) 40%
C) 16%
D) 4%
E) 1%
38) What conditions may trigger reactivation of latent herpesvirus infections?
A) co-infection with hepatitis D virus
B) major hormonal changes
C) immune suppression
D) co-infection with hepatitis D virus along with hormonal changes
E) immune suppression or hormonal changes can both trigger reactivation
39) Which of the following is a vaccine-preventable disease?
A) genital warts
B) genital herpes
C) fifth disease
D) infectious mononucleosis
E) roseola
40) A homeschooled child recently visited an ailing great-grandparent who was complaining of
a painful rash. Even though the child had had no contact with children suffering from
chickenpox, the child developed chickenpox. How did the child contract the infection?
A) The virus was likely contracted from fomites.
B) The adult had chickenpox and exposed the child.
C) An insect vector infected the child.
D) The adult had shingles and the child was exposed to virus particles.
E) There is insufficient information for a conclusion.
41) The ________ primarily infects lymphocytes.
A) BK virus
B) Adenovirus
C) B19 virus
D) HHV-6
E) HHV-8
42) Reactivation of ________ in immunosuppressed persons may produce Kaposi’s sarcoma, a
cancer of the blood vessels.
A) EBV
B) HHV-6
C) cytomegalovirus
D) HHV-8
E) BK virus
43) A serum sample from a patient is examined on an electron microscope, and observed to
contain Dane particles, filamentous, and spherical virion particles in abundance. This
observation indicates infection with
A) human herpesvirus 1.
B) EBV.
C) hepatitis B.
D) hepatitis D.
E) VZV.
44) A childhood illness caused by a herpesvirus and characterized by a “rosy” rash all over the
body is known as
A) chickenpox.
B) kissing disease.
C) CMV.
D) monkeypox.
E) roseola.
45) Infection of the respiratory system by ________ may develop into symptoms of a common
cold.
A) adenoviruses
B) cytomegaloviruses
C) papillomaviruses
D) polyomaviruses
E) parvoviruses
24.2 True/False Questions
1) All poxviruses that infect humans are zoonoses.
2) The first documented human disease to be eradicated was smallpox.
3) Erythema infectiosum is a dangerous but treatable disease.
4) Human herpesviruses have been designated by combining HHV (human herpesvirus) with
numbers corresponding to the severity of the diseases they cause.
5) Contact with a minute quantity of blood is sufficient for infection with hepatitis B virus.
6) An effective vaccine to prevent infection with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV, HHV-4) is
available.
7) Human herpesvirus 4 (EBV) has been implicated as an etiological agent in some cases of
Hodgkin’s lymphoma.
8) Post-exposure vaccination is effective in reducing or preventing disease from variola
infection.
9) Nearly everyone appears to be infected with polyomaviruses BK and JC by the age of 15.
10) All adenoviruses cause mild respiratory disease.
24.3 Short Answer Questions
1) Immunization with (chickenpox/cowpox/monkeypox) will provide protection against
smallpox.
2) Painful, blister-like lesions that progressively become filled with pus suggest infection with a
(herpesvirus/poxvirus/papillomavirus).
3) Human herpesvirus (1/2/3/4) is usually associated with lesions on the genitalia.
4) An inflamed fluid-filled lesion on the finger caused by either HHV-1 or HHV-2 is known as
a (blister/wart/whitlow).
5) The condition in which athletes develop herpes lesions on their skin as a result of coming in
contact with herpes lesions during wrestling is known as herpes (gladiatorum/whitlow/zoster).
6) Skin lesions described as “dewdrops on rose petals” are characteristic of
(chickenpox/monkeypox/shingles).
7) Individuals who have been infected by varicella-zoster virus may develop (Kaposi’s
sarcoma/shingles/whitlows) later in life if they experience severe stress or immune suppression.
8) Papillomaviruses are transmitted by (aerosols/direct contact/secretions).
9) In infections with human herpesvirus (1/2/3/4), the virus becomes latent in B lymphocytes
and suppresses apoptosis, contributing to lymphomas associated with this virus.
10) The disease known as molluscum contagiosum is cause by a
(herpesvirus/papillomavirus/poxvirus).
11) Replication of the hepadnaviridae genome requires (RNA polymerase/reverse
transcriptase).
12) The cauliflower-like growths on the genitalia called condylomata acuminata are caused by
(herpesviruses/papillomaviruses/parvoviruses).
13) A wart on the bottom of the foot is known as a (flat/plantar/seed) wart.
14) Hepatitis B virus replicates in liver cells and is released by (extrusion/exocytosis/lysis),
which contributes to the infection becoming chronic.
15) The disease caused by B19 virus, a (papillomavirus/parvovirus/polyomavirus), is known as
erythema infectiosum and produces a distinctive rash.
24.4 Essay Questions
1) Compare and contrast the oncogenic viruses human herpesvirus 4 (Epstein-Barr virus) and
hepatitis B virus (HBV).
2) A patient is brought into the ER in a coma. Upon inspection, the physician sees evidence of
many new tattoos, as well as yellowing of the skin and eyes. What is the most likely cause of
the patient’s condition?
3) A child is suffering from a fever and has reddish cheeks, arms, and thighs. The rash
intensifies upon exposure to the sun. What is the likely infectious agent?
4) A four-year-old with a history of cold symptoms for two days visits the doctor. On
examination, the doctor notices “dewdrops on a rose petal” lesions over the child’s back. From
what is the child suffering? What are the potential long-term consequences of this infection?
5) B has been HIV positive for several years. Recently, B began to experience some disturbing
symptoms. B has begun to have problems with vision and motor control. Clinical tests indicate
B’s immune function is declining. What other viruses besides HIV might be causing B’s
problems? How might this be verified?