Question

A child presented with bluish white spots in the mouth followed by a rash. What is the genome of probable diagnosis?

• A. Enveloped virus with single stranded RNA
• B. Naked virus with single stranded RNA
• C. Double stranded Naked RNA
• D. Double stranded Enveloped RNA

Hint:

Think about the classic childhood illness with oral white spots and rash, and recall the family of viruses it belongs to.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is A

Approach: The clinical clue here is bluish-white oral spots (Koplik's spots) followed by a maculopapular rash -- the hallmark presentation of measles.

Measles is caused by Measles morbillivirus, classified under the family Paramyxoviridae. Key virological properties:

• Genome: Single-stranded (ss), negative-sense RNA
• Structure: Enveloped (has a lipid bilayer envelope)
• Nucleocapsid symmetry: Helical
• Non-segmented genome

Comparing options:
- Naked virus with ssRNA -- wrong, measles is enveloped
- Double-stranded naked RNA -- describes Reoviruses
- Double-stranded enveloped RNA -- no such common pathogen; measles RNA is single-stranded

The genome of the measles virus is therefore that of an enveloped virus with single-stranded RNA. \[\boxed{\text{Enveloped virus with single stranded RNA}}\]