Page 1 of 301
APHA NAPLEX REVIEW 2025 QUESTIONS AND
ANSWERS
1. Which of the following is a drug of choice for Rickettsia infx such as rocky
mountain spotted fever?
A. clindamycin
B. doxycycline
C. azithromycin
D. rifaximin - correct answer - B. Doxycycline is a drug of choice for tick-
borne illnesses such as Lyme dx and Rocky mountain spotted fever
2. Which of the following drugs could adequately treat a skin and ssti caused
by CA-MRSA?
A. metronidazole
B. fidaxomicin
C. colistimethate
D. bactrim - correct answer - D. The three antibiotics commonly used to treat
CA-MRSA and SSTI are doxycycline, clindamycin, and bactrim
3. Which of the following abx may have a higher incidence of predisposing a pt for a
C. diff infection?
A. clindamycin
, Page 2 of 301
B. fidaxomicin
C. metronidazole
D. oral vancomycin - correct answer - A. Although all antibiotics can cause
C.diff, clincadymcin's spectrum of activity covers many anaerobes except
for C.diff. For this reason, it is commonly implicated as a predisposition
for C. diff infx
4. Which of the following agents has the best activity against the gram- negative
anaerobe Bacteroides fragilis?
A. clindamycin
B. colistin
C. fidaxomicin
D. metronidazole - correct answer - D. Metronidazole displays a purely
anaerobic spectrum of activity and is the drug of choice for one of the main
gram negative anaerobes B. fragilis typically located in the lower GI
5. Which of the following drugs is used only for severe infx caused by MDR pathogens
due to a significant risk of nephrotoxicity
A. rifaximin
B. colistin
C. clindamycin
D. fidaxomicin - correct answer - B. Colistin is a polymyxin antibiotic that can
be used for MDR gram negative pathogens such as P. aeruginosa and
Acinetobacter spp. Its main limiting effect is significant nephrotoxicity,
and it should be reserved for severe or MDR infx
, Page 3 of 301
6. Which of the following antifungal agents is the drug of choice for
infections caused by candida albicans?
A. terbinafine
B. fluconazole
C. flucytosine
D. griseofulvin - correct answer - B. Fluconazole is a drug of choice for
C. albicans, yet it does not cover some non-Candida albicans species
including C. glabrata or C. krusei. Although fluconazole can display dose-
dependent susceptibility for some C. glabrata, it is inherently resistant to C.
krusei
7. Which of the following well-tolerated antifungal agents is commonly used to treat
disseminated candidiasis caused by Candida krusei?
A. caspofungin
B. ampho B
C. posaconazole
D. fluconazole - correct answer - A. Echinocandins are drugs of choice for
disseminated candidiasis caused by non-albicans or fluconazole- resistant
Candida spx. Echinocandins are often initiated as empiric therapy for
disseminated candidiasis until the fungal spx is known by culture
8. Which of the following oral antifungal medications is commonly used to treat
onychomycosis?
A. ampho B
, Page 4 of 301
B. caspofungin
C. posaconazole
D. terbinafine - correct answer - D. Terbinafine is an oral antifungal agent
that is commonly used to treat dermatophytes that cause onychomycosis
9. Which of the following antitubercular agents is the drug of choice for latent TB
infection?
A. isoniazid
B. cycloserine
C. ethambutol
D. capreomycin - correct answer - A. Isoniazid daily therapy is the preferred
regimen for latent TB infx. Pts should be supplemented w/ pyridoxine and
should avoid alcoholic beverages while taking isoniazid
10. Which of the following agents can cause red-colored staining of body fluids
A. rifampin
B. isoniazid
C. pyrazinamide
D. ethambutol - correct answer - A. An important pt counseling point for pts
being administered rifampin is to be aware of discoloration of body fluids
such as tears, sweat, and saliva. Pts who wear contact lenses, for example,
should be notified that the lenses may become permanently discolored
APHA NAPLEX REVIEW 2025 QUESTIONS AND
ANSWERS
1. Which of the following is a drug of choice for Rickettsia infx such as rocky
mountain spotted fever?
A. clindamycin
B. doxycycline
C. azithromycin
D. rifaximin - correct answer - B. Doxycycline is a drug of choice for tick-
borne illnesses such as Lyme dx and Rocky mountain spotted fever
2. Which of the following drugs could adequately treat a skin and ssti caused
by CA-MRSA?
A. metronidazole
B. fidaxomicin
C. colistimethate
D. bactrim - correct answer - D. The three antibiotics commonly used to treat
CA-MRSA and SSTI are doxycycline, clindamycin, and bactrim
3. Which of the following abx may have a higher incidence of predisposing a pt for a
C. diff infection?
A. clindamycin
, Page 2 of 301
B. fidaxomicin
C. metronidazole
D. oral vancomycin - correct answer - A. Although all antibiotics can cause
C.diff, clincadymcin's spectrum of activity covers many anaerobes except
for C.diff. For this reason, it is commonly implicated as a predisposition
for C. diff infx
4. Which of the following agents has the best activity against the gram- negative
anaerobe Bacteroides fragilis?
A. clindamycin
B. colistin
C. fidaxomicin
D. metronidazole - correct answer - D. Metronidazole displays a purely
anaerobic spectrum of activity and is the drug of choice for one of the main
gram negative anaerobes B. fragilis typically located in the lower GI
5. Which of the following drugs is used only for severe infx caused by MDR pathogens
due to a significant risk of nephrotoxicity
A. rifaximin
B. colistin
C. clindamycin
D. fidaxomicin - correct answer - B. Colistin is a polymyxin antibiotic that can
be used for MDR gram negative pathogens such as P. aeruginosa and
Acinetobacter spp. Its main limiting effect is significant nephrotoxicity,
and it should be reserved for severe or MDR infx
, Page 3 of 301
6. Which of the following antifungal agents is the drug of choice for
infections caused by candida albicans?
A. terbinafine
B. fluconazole
C. flucytosine
D. griseofulvin - correct answer - B. Fluconazole is a drug of choice for
C. albicans, yet it does not cover some non-Candida albicans species
including C. glabrata or C. krusei. Although fluconazole can display dose-
dependent susceptibility for some C. glabrata, it is inherently resistant to C.
krusei
7. Which of the following well-tolerated antifungal agents is commonly used to treat
disseminated candidiasis caused by Candida krusei?
A. caspofungin
B. ampho B
C. posaconazole
D. fluconazole - correct answer - A. Echinocandins are drugs of choice for
disseminated candidiasis caused by non-albicans or fluconazole- resistant
Candida spx. Echinocandins are often initiated as empiric therapy for
disseminated candidiasis until the fungal spx is known by culture
8. Which of the following oral antifungal medications is commonly used to treat
onychomycosis?
A. ampho B
, Page 4 of 301
B. caspofungin
C. posaconazole
D. terbinafine - correct answer - D. Terbinafine is an oral antifungal agent
that is commonly used to treat dermatophytes that cause onychomycosis
9. Which of the following antitubercular agents is the drug of choice for latent TB
infection?
A. isoniazid
B. cycloserine
C. ethambutol
D. capreomycin - correct answer - A. Isoniazid daily therapy is the preferred
regimen for latent TB infx. Pts should be supplemented w/ pyridoxine and
should avoid alcoholic beverages while taking isoniazid
10. Which of the following agents can cause red-colored staining of body fluids
A. rifampin
B. isoniazid
C. pyrazinamide
D. ethambutol - correct answer - A. An important pt counseling point for pts
being administered rifampin is to be aware of discoloration of body fluids
such as tears, sweat, and saliva. Pts who wear contact lenses, for example,
should be notified that the lenses may become permanently discolored
