nmdcat.online
BIO NMDCAT Sexually transmitted diseases
nmdcat.online July 16, 2026

During an educational seminar on STDs, a physician explains that having an active genital ulcer disease (like syphilis or herpes) significantly increases the risk of acquiring HIV during sexual exposure. The most appropriate explanation for this is that the ulcer:

A. Alters the local pH, enhancing HIV replication
B. Provides a direct portal of entry and recruits CD4 immune cells to the site
✓
C. Directly neutralizes host antibodies
D. Genetically merges with the HIV virus

📝 Explanation

The correct option is Provides a direct portal of entry and recruits CD4 immune cells to the site. Ulcers disrupt the protective epithelial barrier, giving HIV direct access to the bloodstream. Additionally, the inflammation recruits CD4 T-cells and macrophages (HIV target cells) to the ulcer base.

📖 Additional Information

  • Alters the local pH, enhancing HIV replication
  • Provides a direct portal of entry and recruits CD4 immune cells to the site
  • Directly neutralizes host antibodies
  • Genetically merges with the HIV virus

The correct option is Provides a direct portal of entry and recruits CD4 immune cells to the site. Ulcers disrupt the protective epithelial barrier, giving HIV direct access to the bloodstream. Additionally, the inflammation recruits CD4 T-cells and macrophages (HIV target cells) to the ulcer base.

🔗 Share This Question

Facebook Twitter LinkedIn WhatsApp

🧭 Navigate Questions

Previous Question

In females, gonococcal infection most frequently initiates in the epithelial lining of the cervix rather than the vagina. The biological reason for this tissue tropism is that Neisseria gonorrhoeae preferentially infects:

Next Question

The latency period of syphilis can last for several years. During this latent phase, the biological status of the pathogen is best described as:

Back to All Questions

🔗 Related MCQs

An increase in the incidence of ectopic pregnancies within a population can often be epidemiologically correlated with a prior increase in the prevalence of which sexually transmitted disease?
July 16, 2026
In the life cycle of Herpes Simplex Virus 2 (HSV-2), the virus travels along nerve fibers to reach the sensory ganglia. The cellular mechanism responsible for this retrograde transport utilizes:
July 16, 2026
A defining characteristic of the lesions associated with the secondary stage of syphilis is that they:
July 16, 2026
The causative agent of genital herpes, HSV-2, is enveloped. The biological significance of this viral envelope in the context of transmission is that it makes the virus:
July 16, 2026
The structural basis for the severe cardiovascular complications seen in tertiary syphilis, such as aortic aneurysms, is the chronic inflammation and destruction of:
July 16, 2026

Categories

View all →