AMERICAN BOARD OF INTERNAL MEDICINE · ABIM
GUARANTEED
PASS.
Infectious Disease
Board Review
75 Practice Questions with Rationales
EXAM FOCUS:
Infectious Disease
— Board Review
Edition 1 · August 2026
Prepare · Practice · Pass
Excellence in Internal Medicine Education
EXAM DETAILED HIGH-YIELD CONFIDENCE
FOCUSED RATIONALES CONTENT BUILDER
ABIM — Infectious Disease Page 1
,ABIM — INFECTIOUS DISEASE TABLE OF CONTENTS
Table of Contents
1. Instructions for Use 3
2. Practice Questions (Q1-75) 3
ABIM — Infectious Disease Page 2
,ABIM — INFECTIOUS DISEASE INSTRUCTIONS & PRACTICE QUESTIONS
How to Use This Guide
Read each stem, choose your answer, then check the rationale directly below it. The correct
option is marked, and each wrong option is explained so you understand why it's wrong — not
just that it is. This guide contains 75 questions covering ABIM board review content in
infectious disease.
Infectious Disease — Practice Questions
1 What is the treatment for bacterial meningitis in beta-lactam allergic patients?
A Moxifloxacin + Bactrim
B Vancomycin + ceftriaxone
C Ampicillin + gentamicin
D Linezolid + rifampin
Why A is correct: In beta-lactam allergic patients with bacterial meningitis, treatment is
moxifloxacin + Bactrim.
B — Ceftriaxone is a beta-lactam.
C — Ampicillin is a beta-lactam.
D — This is not the recommended regimen.
, 2 Brain abscess is treated with:
A Cephalosporin + Flagyl
B Vancomycin + ceftriaxone
C Ampicillin + gentamicin
D Linezolid + rifampin
Why A is correct: Brain abscess is treated with cephalosporin + Flagyl (metronidazole).
B — This regimen is for meningitis.
C — This is for endocarditis.
D — This is not the standard regimen.
3 Encephalitis, choreoathetosis, psychiatric symptoms, seizures, and autonomic
instability suggest:
A Autoimmune encephalitis (anti-NMDA receptor antibody)
B HSV encephalitis
C Viral encephalitis
D Bacterial meningitis
Why A is correct: Anti-NMDA receptor encephalitis presents with encephalitis,
choreoathetosis, psychiatric symptoms, seizures, and autonomic instability.
B — HSV encephalitis presents with temporal lobe involvement.
C — Viral encephalitis is a broader category.
D — Bacterial meningitis has different features.
GUARANTEED
PASS.
Infectious Disease
Board Review
75 Practice Questions with Rationales
EXAM FOCUS:
Infectious Disease
— Board Review
Edition 1 · August 2026
Prepare · Practice · Pass
Excellence in Internal Medicine Education
EXAM DETAILED HIGH-YIELD CONFIDENCE
FOCUSED RATIONALES CONTENT BUILDER
ABIM — Infectious Disease Page 1
,ABIM — INFECTIOUS DISEASE TABLE OF CONTENTS
Table of Contents
1. Instructions for Use 3
2. Practice Questions (Q1-75) 3
ABIM — Infectious Disease Page 2
,ABIM — INFECTIOUS DISEASE INSTRUCTIONS & PRACTICE QUESTIONS
How to Use This Guide
Read each stem, choose your answer, then check the rationale directly below it. The correct
option is marked, and each wrong option is explained so you understand why it's wrong — not
just that it is. This guide contains 75 questions covering ABIM board review content in
infectious disease.
Infectious Disease — Practice Questions
1 What is the treatment for bacterial meningitis in beta-lactam allergic patients?
A Moxifloxacin + Bactrim
B Vancomycin + ceftriaxone
C Ampicillin + gentamicin
D Linezolid + rifampin
Why A is correct: In beta-lactam allergic patients with bacterial meningitis, treatment is
moxifloxacin + Bactrim.
B — Ceftriaxone is a beta-lactam.
C — Ampicillin is a beta-lactam.
D — This is not the recommended regimen.
, 2 Brain abscess is treated with:
A Cephalosporin + Flagyl
B Vancomycin + ceftriaxone
C Ampicillin + gentamicin
D Linezolid + rifampin
Why A is correct: Brain abscess is treated with cephalosporin + Flagyl (metronidazole).
B — This regimen is for meningitis.
C — This is for endocarditis.
D — This is not the standard regimen.
3 Encephalitis, choreoathetosis, psychiatric symptoms, seizures, and autonomic
instability suggest:
A Autoimmune encephalitis (anti-NMDA receptor antibody)
B HSV encephalitis
C Viral encephalitis
D Bacterial meningitis
Why A is correct: Anti-NMDA receptor encephalitis presents with encephalitis,
choreoathetosis, psychiatric symptoms, seizures, and autonomic instability.
B — HSV encephalitis presents with temporal lobe involvement.
C — Viral encephalitis is a broader category.
D — Bacterial meningitis has different features.
