Infectious diseases: practice question

A General Medicine question in the style of the NEET PG paper. Answer it first, then read why the right option is right and why each of the others is wrong.

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General Medicine · Infectious diseases

Sample item

Which presentation should raise urgent concern for bacterial meningitis?

Original practice item, not a recalled exam question. Nothing here is recorded.

The answer and the reasoning

B. Fever, headache, neck stiffness, and altered mental state

Bacterial meningitis can present with fever, severe headache, neck stiffness, rash, or altered consciousness and requires urgent assessment, blood cultures, and time-critical antimicrobial treatment according to local protocols.

Option by option

  • A. Gradual presbyopia

    Presbyopia is age-related loss of near focus.

  • B. Fever, headache, neck stiffness, and altered mental state (correct)

    Correct: this cluster is highly concerning for meningitis.

  • C. Chronic painless ankle swelling

    Chronic ankle swelling has many non-meningitic causes.

  • D. Isolated hair thinning

    Hair thinning does not signal acute meningeal infection.

Source note: Original NextPrep sample item — pending expert review. This item is original practice material awaiting independent expert review, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.

More General Medicine questions

Questions about this General Medicine question

What is the answer to this General Medicine question?

The best answer is B, Fever, headache, neck stiffness, and altered mental state. Bacterial meningitis can present with fever, severe headache, neck stiffness, rash, or altered consciousness and requires urgent assessment, blood cultures, and time-critical antimicrobial treatment according to local protocols.

Why is "Gradual presbyopia" not the answer?

Presbyopia is age-related loss of near focus.

Why is "Chronic painless ankle swelling" not the answer?

Chronic ankle swelling has many non-meningitic causes.

Why is "Isolated hair thinning" not the answer?

Hair thinning does not signal acute meningeal infection.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Infectious diseases in General Medicine. The correct option holds because: Correct: this cluster is highly concerning for meningitis.

How hard is this question?

We tag it as an application question: it asks you to use a fact on a patient or a finding. The tag is our own editorial judgement, not an official difficulty rating, so read the reason for every option, not only the answer.

How should I study Infectious diseases?

For each disease know the classic presentation, the best test, and the first-line treatment. Then use the flashcards and the other General Medicine questions on this site to test what stuck.

Is this a real NEET PG question?

No. It is an original practice item (editorial status: sample, version 1). NextPrep does not publish recalled or leaked questions, and independent faculty review of this item has not been completed yet, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.