ATI Pediatrics: Infectious Diseases & Immunizations Exam Practice
2026 |Questions |Answers |Rationales
1. A nurse is teaching a parent about the communicability of varicella. At which
point is the child no longer contagious?
A. When all lesions have crusted over
B. 6 days after the appearance of the first lesion
C. When the fever has resolved
D. 24 hours after starting antiviral medication
Answer: A
Rationale: Children with varicella (chickenpox) are contagious from 1 to 2 days before the
rash appears until all vesicles have crusted over, usually taking about 6 days.
2. A nurse is preparing to administer the MMR vaccine to a 15-month-old
toddler. Which of the following is a contraindication for this vaccine?
A. History of local reaction to a previous DTaP vaccine
B. Family history of seizures
C. Hypersensitivity to neomycin or gelatin
D. Current mild cold symptoms without fever
Answer: C
Rationale: MMR vaccine contains trace amounts of neomycin and gelatin; therefore, an
anaphylactic reaction to these components is a contraindication.
,3. Which clinical manifestation is a classic sign of Measles (Rubeola)?
A. Parotitis
B. Strawberry tongue
C. Koplik spots
D. Bullseye rash
Answer: C
Rationale: Koplik spots are small, irregular red spots with a bluish-white center that
appear on the buccal mucosa 2 days before the measles rash.
4. A nurse is caring for a child with pertussis. Which type of transmission-based
precautions should the nurse implement?
A. Standard precautions only
B. Contact precautions
C. Airborne precautions
D. Droplet precautions
Answer: D
Rationale: Pertussis is transmitted through large-particle droplets; therefore, droplet
precautions are required in addition to standard precautions.
5. A mother of a child with erythema infectiosum (Fifth disease) asks if her child
is still contagious. Which response by the nurse is correct?
A. The child is contagious until the rash disappears.
B. The child is only contagious while they have a high fever.
C. The child will be contagious for 2 weeks after the rash starts.
D. Most children are no longer contagious once the rash appears.
Answer: D
Rationale: In Fifth disease, the child is most contagious before the rash appears; once the
‘slapped cheek’ rash is present, they are usually no longer contagious.
, 6. Which vaccine is typically administered at the birth of a newborn?
A. Inactivated Poliovirus (IPV)
B. Rotavirus (RV)
C. Hepatitis B (HepB)
D. Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib)
Answer: C
Rationale: The Hepatitis B vaccine is the only vaccine recommended to be given at birth
per the standard CDC schedule.
7. A nurse is providing discharge teaching for a child with mononucleosis. What
should be emphasized regarding activity?
A. Avoid contact sports for several weeks to prevent splenic rupture
B. Return to contact sports immediately to build strength
C. Complete bed rest for at least one month
D. Exercise vigorously to reduce fatigue
Answer: A
Rationale: Splenomegaly is common in infectious mononucleosis; contact sports must be
avoided to prevent the risk of splenic rupture.
8. At what age should a child receive their first dose of the Varicella vaccine?
A. 2 months
B. 12 to 15 months
C. 6 months
D. 4 to 6 years
Answer: B
Rationale: The first dose of Varicella is recommended between 12 and 15 months, with the
second dose between 4 and 6 years.
2026 |Questions |Answers |Rationales
1. A nurse is teaching a parent about the communicability of varicella. At which
point is the child no longer contagious?
A. When all lesions have crusted over
B. 6 days after the appearance of the first lesion
C. When the fever has resolved
D. 24 hours after starting antiviral medication
Answer: A
Rationale: Children with varicella (chickenpox) are contagious from 1 to 2 days before the
rash appears until all vesicles have crusted over, usually taking about 6 days.
2. A nurse is preparing to administer the MMR vaccine to a 15-month-old
toddler. Which of the following is a contraindication for this vaccine?
A. History of local reaction to a previous DTaP vaccine
B. Family history of seizures
C. Hypersensitivity to neomycin or gelatin
D. Current mild cold symptoms without fever
Answer: C
Rationale: MMR vaccine contains trace amounts of neomycin and gelatin; therefore, an
anaphylactic reaction to these components is a contraindication.
,3. Which clinical manifestation is a classic sign of Measles (Rubeola)?
A. Parotitis
B. Strawberry tongue
C. Koplik spots
D. Bullseye rash
Answer: C
Rationale: Koplik spots are small, irregular red spots with a bluish-white center that
appear on the buccal mucosa 2 days before the measles rash.
4. A nurse is caring for a child with pertussis. Which type of transmission-based
precautions should the nurse implement?
A. Standard precautions only
B. Contact precautions
C. Airborne precautions
D. Droplet precautions
Answer: D
Rationale: Pertussis is transmitted through large-particle droplets; therefore, droplet
precautions are required in addition to standard precautions.
5. A mother of a child with erythema infectiosum (Fifth disease) asks if her child
is still contagious. Which response by the nurse is correct?
A. The child is contagious until the rash disappears.
B. The child is only contagious while they have a high fever.
C. The child will be contagious for 2 weeks after the rash starts.
D. Most children are no longer contagious once the rash appears.
Answer: D
Rationale: In Fifth disease, the child is most contagious before the rash appears; once the
‘slapped cheek’ rash is present, they are usually no longer contagious.
, 6. Which vaccine is typically administered at the birth of a newborn?
A. Inactivated Poliovirus (IPV)
B. Rotavirus (RV)
C. Hepatitis B (HepB)
D. Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib)
Answer: C
Rationale: The Hepatitis B vaccine is the only vaccine recommended to be given at birth
per the standard CDC schedule.
7. A nurse is providing discharge teaching for a child with mononucleosis. What
should be emphasized regarding activity?
A. Avoid contact sports for several weeks to prevent splenic rupture
B. Return to contact sports immediately to build strength
C. Complete bed rest for at least one month
D. Exercise vigorously to reduce fatigue
Answer: A
Rationale: Splenomegaly is common in infectious mononucleosis; contact sports must be
avoided to prevent the risk of splenic rupture.
8. At what age should a child receive their first dose of the Varicella vaccine?
A. 2 months
B. 12 to 15 months
C. 6 months
D. 4 to 6 years
Answer: B
Rationale: The first dose of Varicella is recommended between 12 and 15 months, with the
second dose between 4 and 6 years.
