Infectious Disease Practice Questions
Infectious disease is cross-cutting and heavily tested — endocarditis criteria, HIV opportunistic infection screening, catheter-associated UTIs, and tetanus prophylaxis. These four sample questions come from MediLingo's bank of 3,900+ questions across 21 specialties.
Sample questions
Question 1
Which pair constitutes the two major Duke criteria for infective endocarditis?
a) Janeway lesions
b) Positive blood cultures with a typical organism AND echocardiographic evidence of endocardial involvement ✓ Correct
c) Osler nodes
d) Fever >38°C
Key teaching point: Duke majors: typical bacteremia + endocardial involvement on echo.
Question 2
A 29-year-old man is newly diagnosed with HIV (CD4 180). Which baseline opportunistic infection screening is indicated?
a) Toxoplasma IgG, cryptococcal antigen, TB IGRA, hepatitis B/C, and STI screening ✓ Correct
b) Bone marrow biopsy
c) Brain MRI
d) HIV viral load every visit
Key teaching point: New HIV diagnosis: screen for toxo, crypto, TB, hepatitis B/C, STIs.
Question 3
A 78-year-old man with an indwelling Foley catheter for 3 weeks develops fever and suprapubic discomfort. How should the urine culture be obtained?
a) Clean-catch midstream sample
b) No culture needed; treat empirically
c) Replace the catheter, then culture from the new catheter ✓ Correct
d) Culture urine from the existing catheter bag
Key teaching point: Suspected CAUTI: replace the catheter before culturing.
Question 4
A 35-year-old man steps on a rusty nail (dirty puncture wound). His last tetanus shot was 8 years ago. Management?
a) Antibiotics alone
b) No booster; 10-year rule applies
c) Tetanus immune globulin only
d) Tetanus booster (Tdap or Td) since it has been >5 years ✓ Correct
Key teaching point: Dirty wound + >5 years since tetanus shot = booster now.
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© 2026 MediLingo. For educational purposes only. Questions are AI-generated and multi-layer reviewed.