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
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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
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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
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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
