Question

Match List I (Viruses) with List II (Disease States) and select the correct answer using the codes given below the Lists:

List I (Viruses)	List II (Disease States)
A. Hepatitis B virus	1. Burkitt's lymphoma
B. Epstein-Barr virus	2. Carcinoma of cervix
C. HSV 2	3. Adult T cell leukemia-lymphoma
D. Human 'T' lymphotropic virus III (HTLV III)	4. Hepatocellular carcinoma

• A. A-3, B-2, C-1, D-4
• B. A-3, B-1, C-2, D-4
• C. A-4, B-1, C-2, D-3
• D. A-4, B-2, C-1, D-3

Hint:

Start with the virus-cancer link you are most confident about, then use it to rule out three of the four options.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is C

Step 1: Understanding the Question:
This is a match-list question pairing four viruses with the malignancies or disease states they are classically associated with in medical microbiology.

Step 2: Key Concept or Approach:
Several viruses have well-established oncogenic or disease associations that are frequently tested together: Hepatitis B virus with liver cancer, Epstein-Barr virus with lymphoid and epithelial tumours, Herpes simplex virus type 2 with genital tract disease, and the human T-lymphotropic retroviruses with T-cell malignancies. Matching each virus to its correct disease requires recalling these individual associations rather than any single rule.

Step 3: Working Through the Options:
Hepatitis B virus (A) integrates its DNA into the host hepatocyte genome and is one of the leading causes of hepatocellular carcinoma worldwide, so it pairs with option 4. Epstein-Barr virus (B) transforms B lymphocytes and is the classic association with Burkitt's lymphoma, especially the endemic African form linked to chronic malaria, so it pairs with option 1. Herpes simplex virus type 2 (C) was, in the teaching of this period, linked to carcinoma of the cervix because viral antigens and DNA sequences were frequently detected in cervical dysplasia and cancer tissue, so it pairs with option 2. The human T-lymphotropic virus (D) is associated with adult T-cell leukaemia-lymphoma, so it pairs with option 3.

Step 4: Conclusion:
The correct match is A-4, B-1, C-2, D-3: Hepatitis B virus with hepatocellular carcinoma, Epstein-Barr virus with Burkitt's lymphoma, HSV-2 with carcinoma of the cervix, and the T-lymphotropic virus with adult T-cell leukaemia-lymphoma.