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

A 22-year-old has had stepwise rising fever for 7 days, relative bradycardia, abdominal distension and a few rose spots on the trunk. Which investigation has the highest diagnostic yield at this stage?

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

The answer and the reasoning

D. Blood culture

The picture is enteric fever. In the first week blood culture has the highest yield, and bone marrow culture is more sensitive still in those already on antibiotics. Stool culture becomes positive later, and a single Widal titre is unreliable.

Option by option

  • A. Widal test on a single sample

    A single Widal titre has limited specificity and cannot reliably confirm the diagnosis.

  • B. Stool culture

    Stool cultures are more often positive from the second or third week.

  • C. Urine routine examination

    Routine urine examination does not identify the organism.

  • D. Blood culture (correct)

    Correct. Salmonella Typhi is most often isolated from blood early in the illness.

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 D, Blood culture. The picture is enteric fever.

Why is "Widal test on a single sample" not the answer?

A single Widal titre has limited specificity and cannot reliably confirm the diagnosis.

Why is "Stool culture" not the answer?

Stool cultures are more often positive from the second or third week.

Why is "Urine routine examination" not the answer?

Routine urine examination does not identify the organism.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Infectious diseases in General Medicine. In the first week blood culture has the highest yield, and bone marrow culture is more sensitive still in those already on antibiotics. Stool culture becomes positive later, and a single Widal titre is unreliable.

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.