Common Infectious Diseases Flashcards
7 cards from real Internal Medicine Exam practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Common Infectious Diseases flashcards as text
A 28-year-old woman presents with dysuria, frequency, and suprapubic pain for 2 days. Urinalysis shows pyuria and bacteriuria. What is the most appropriate initial treatment?
Answer: Nitrofurantoin for 5 days
Nitrofurantoin for 5 days is first-line therapy for uncomplicated UTI in non-pregnant women due to efficacy and low resistance rates.
Which organism is the most common cause of community-acquired pneumonia in otherwise healthy adults under 60?
Answer: Streptococcus pneumoniae
Streptococcus pneumoniae is the most common bacterial cause of community-acquired pneumonia across all age groups.
A patient returns from a trip to sub-Saharan Africa with cyclic fevers, chills, and headache. Thick and thin blood smears are ordered. Which Plasmodium species causes the most severe and potentially fatal malaria?
Answer: Plasmodium falciparum
Plasmodium falciparum causes the most severe malaria, with complications including cerebral malaria, severe anemia, and multi-organ failure.
A 35-year-old male presents with painless genital ulcer and inguinal lymphadenopathy. VDRL is reactive. Which antibiotic is first-line treatment?
Answer: Benzathine penicillin G 2.4 million units IM
Benzathine penicillin G 2.4 million units IM single dose is the standard first-line treatment for primary and secondary syphilis.
Which finding best distinguishes bacterial meningitis from viral meningitis on CSF analysis?
Answer: Glucose less than 45 mg/dL with high protein
Low CSF glucose (<45 mg/dL) combined with markedly elevated protein is characteristic of bacterial meningitis, reflecting bacterial consumption of glucose.
A 60-year-old patient with COPD develops productive cough with purulent sputum and fever. Sputum Gram stain shows gram-negative coccobacilli. Which organism is most likely?
Answer: Haemophilus influenzae
Haemophilus influenzae is the most common gram-negative coccobacillus causing acute exacerbations of COPD.
A patient with HIV and CD4 count of 50 cells/μL presents with headache, fever, and neck stiffness. India ink stain of CSF shows encapsulated yeast. What is the treatment of choice?
Answer: Amphotericin B plus flucytosine
Induction therapy for cryptococcal meningitis consists of amphotericin B plus flucytosine for at least 2 weeks, followed by fluconazole consolidation.