Virology
Sample questions
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A 35-year-old man is bitten by a tick in the northeastern US in late spring. Three weeks later he develops fever and rapidly progressive encephalitis with severe neurologic sequelae. The tick was identified as Ixodes scapularis. The most likely culprit is:
A neonate is born to a mother who had a flu-like illness during pregnancy. The infant has chorioretinitis, hydrocephalus, and intracerebral calcifications. The mother kept a pet hamster during pregnancy. Toxoplasma serology is negative. The most likely cause is:
A college student at a winter conference develops abrupt nausea, projectile vomiting, and watery diarrhea 24 hours after a buffet dinner. Other attendees similarly affected; symptoms resolve in 48 hours. Stool electron microscopy: small, non-enveloped, icosahedral virions. The virus belongs to which family?
Sample flashcards
A 19-year-old college student has 10 days of fever, severe pharyngitis, fatigue, and a maculopapular rash that appeared after she took amoxicillin for presumed strep throat. Exam: tonsillar exudates, posterior cervical lymphadenopathy, splenomegaly. CBC: 35% atypical lymphocytes. Monospot is positive. The most likely cause of her rash is: You picked: D. Serum sickness from amoxicillin
A 23-year-old veterinary student plans to work with wild animals in regions where rabies is endemic. Her medical history is unremarkable. Which of the following best describes pre-exposure rabies prophylaxis? You picked: C. HRIG plus 4-dose vaccine series administered preemptively
A 55-year-old patient with newly diagnosed HIV is started on combination antiretroviral therapy including tenofovir, emtricitabine, and dolutegravir. The mechanism of action of dolutegravir is: You picked: B. Non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibition
A 7-year-old in equatorial Africa presents with a rapidly enlarging right jaw mass. Biopsy: monomorphic medium-sized lymphocytes with a 'starry sky' pattern from interspersed tingible-body macrophages. FISH: t(8;14)(q24;q32). EBV in situ hybridization is positive. The translocation places which gene under the control of which regulatory element? You picked: C. BCR-ABL fusion
A newborn has bilateral cataracts, a continuous machinery murmur (PDA), and sensorineural deafness. The mother had a rash during the first trimester with arthralgia, low-grade fever, and posterior auricular lymphadenopathy. The virus belongs to which family? You picked: D. Flaviviridae
Which step of the HIV life cycle is targeted by maraviroc? You picked: C. Fusion of viral and host membranes via gp41
FAQ
What's covered in the Virology topic?
Virology covers high-yield mechanisms, clinical presentations, diagnostic workup, and management — drawn from First Aid, Pathoma, and the NBME content outline.
How many practice questions does Virology have?
100 board-style multiple-choice questions and 10 spaced-repetition flashcards. Sign up free to drill them with adaptive difficulty and a Socratic AI tutor that explains every wrong answer.
Is Virology on USMLE Step 1 or Step 2 CK?
Virology appears on both Step 1 (foundational mechanisms) and Step 2 CK (clinical decision-making). Our questions are tagged by exam target so you can filter to just the Step you're studying.
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