CTropMed® Examination Outline
Seven major content areas are covered in the examination.
DOMAIN I: LIFE CYCLES, EPIDEMIOLOGY, PATHOLOGY AND
PATHOGENESIS OF INFECTIOUS DISEASES (15%)
(see specific topics below)
DOMAIN II: DIAGNOSIS, CLINICAL MANIFESTATIONS,
TREATMENT, AND PREVENTION OF INFECTIOUS DISEASES (25%)
(see specific topics below)
Intestinal Protozoa
• Amebiasis; Giardiasis; Cryptosporidiosis and other coccidial infections;
Nonpathogenic protozoa; Emerging topics
Blood and Tissue Protozoa
• Malaria; Leishmaniasis; Toxoplasmosis; Trypanosomiasis (African); Trypanosomiasis
(American); Free-living amebae; Babesiosis; Emerging topics
Nematodes
• Ascariasis, trichuriasis, enterobiasis, hookworm, strongyloidiasis, and intestinal
capillariasis; Lymphatic filariasis, onchocerciasis, loiasis, mansonellosis, and
dracunculiasis; Trichinosis; Larva migrans: toxocariasis, creeping eruption, etc.;
Other zoonotic nematodes: anisakiasis, angiostrongyliasis, gnathostomiasis,
oesophagostomum; Emerging topics
Cestodes
• Intestinal tapeworms; Cysticercosis and echinococcosis; Other larval cestode infections;
Emerging topics
Trematodes
• Schistosomiasis; Intestinal flukes; Liver flukes; Paragonimiasis; Emerging topics
Diseases Caused by Bacteria
• Typhoid fever; Other salmonellosis; Cholera and other secretory diarrheas; Other
vibrios; Shigellosis; Campylobacter, Yersinia, E. coli, and other bacterial causes of
diarrhea; Neisseria meningitidis and other causes of meningitis; Tuberculosis; Leprosy;
Atypical mycobacterial infections; Respiratory infections (bacterial); Tetanus; Diphtheria;
Streptococcal infections including rheumatic fever; Melioidosis; Brucellosis; Bartonellosis;
Sexually transmitted infections (syphilis, gonorrhea, chancroid, lymphogranuloma
venereum, granuloma inguinale, and nongonococcal urethritis); Plague and tularemia;
Anthrax; Q fever; Rickettsia infections including typhus, spotted fevers, scrub typhus;
Ehrlichiosis and anaplasmosis; Leptospirosis, nonvenereal treponemal spirochetes, and
borrelial infection; Trachoma and other nonvenereal diseases caused by chlamydia;
Emerging topics
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Diseases Caused by Fungi
• Histoplasmosis, blastomycosis, paracoccidioidomycosis, and coccidiodomycosis;
Subcutaneous mycoses: mycetoma, sporotrichosis, and chromoblastomycosis;
Opportunistic mycoses: Candida, Cryptococcus, talalaromycosis, and pneumocystosis;
Emerging topics
Diseases Caused by Viruses
• HIV infection; Hepatitis; Yellow fever; Dengue; Other flaviviruses: Zika, Japanese
encephalitis, West Nile, tickborne encephalitis; Rabies; Bunyaviruses: Rift Valley fever,
Crimean Congo hemorrhagic fever, hantaviruses, sandfly fever, and Oropouche; Lassa
and other arenaviruses; Filovirus: Ebola, Marburg; Chikungunya; Other Alphaviruses:
Venezuelan equine encephalitis, Ross River, Mayaro; Smallpox and monkeypox; HTLV-
1; Avian influenza; Respiratory infections (viral); Rotavirus and other causes of diarrhea;
Polio; Measles; Emerging topics
Ectoparasites
• Lice; Scabies; Myiasis; Emerging topics
DOMAIN III: NONINFECTIOUS DISEASES (10%)
Nutritional Disorders
• Principles of nutrition; Infection and nutrition; Malnutrition and refeeding; Vitamin and
mineral deficiencies
Environmental Disorders
• Heat; Cold; Altitude and diving
Poisonous and Toxic Plants and Animals
• Poisonous plants; Shellfish and fish poisoning; Venomous reptiles and marine animals;
Biting and poisonous arthropods
Post-infectious Sequelae
• Complications requiring surgery; Oncologic; Post-inflammatory (e.g., lymphedema, irritable
bowel syndrome)
DOMAIN IV: APPROACH TO CLINICAL SYNDROMES (16%)
Cardiovascular Symptoms and Signs
• Heart failure; Valvular disease; Arrhythmia
Dermatologic Symptoms and Signs
• Cutaneous ulcers; Cutaneous nodules; Fever and rash; Pruritus; Pigmentary disorders
Gastrointestinal Symptoms and Signs
• Acute diarrhea; Chronic diarrhea; Abdominal pain; Jaundice; Hepatobiliary
Neurologic Symptoms and Signs
• Seizures; Paralysis; Altered mental status; Meningitis and encephalitis; Chorea and other
movement disorders
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Ocular Symptoms and Signs
• Vision loss; Inflammation
Genitourinary Symptoms and Signs
• Hematuria, sterile pyuria, and chyluria; Ulcers, discharge, and lymphadenopathy;
Cervical or bladder lesions
Respiratory Symptoms and Signs
• Fever and acute cough; Chronic cough; Hemoptysis, cavitary lung lesions, and pulmonary
nodules; Wheezing
Hematologic Symptoms and Signs
• Anemia; Eosinophilia; Leukopenia and thrombocytopenia; Splenomegaly
Other Fever Syndromes
• Undifferentiated fever; Fever and arthritis; Manifestations of agents of bioterrorism
DOMAIN V: TRAVELERS’ HEALTH (15%)
Clinical Epidemiology and Distribution of Diseases
• Travelers; Migrants
Preventive Medicine
• Pre-travel risk assessment; Available vaccines: indications, dosing, adverse effects;
Prophylaxis; Prevention of diseases transmitted by food, water and soil; Prevention of
diseases transmitted by arthropods and animals
High-risk Travelers
• Pregnant; Pediatric; Immunocompromised; Chronic disease
Air and Sea Travel
• Jet lag; Motion sickness; Spread of infection; On-board care
Other Conditions
• Cultural adaptation; Mental health; Altitude sickness; Air pollution; Trauma and injury
The Ill Traveler
• Self-treatment; Medical care abroad; Post-travel assessment and screening
DOMAIN VI: PUBLIC HEALTH IN THE TROPICS (9%)
Maternal and Child Health
• Epidemiology of maternal mortality and morbidity; Epidemiology of childhood mortality and
morbidity; Breastfeeding (including HIV transmission)
Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene
• Water supply; Wastewater management; Sanitation
Community Approaches to Primary Healthcare
• Preventable illness: children and adults; Chronic diseases and disability; Essential drugs;
Vaccine-preventable diseases; Mass supplementation and chemotherapy programs
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International, Government, and Nongovernment Organizations in the Tropics
• International Health Regulations; Professional standards; Ethics; Health systems structure
Disease Control
• Investigation and control of outbreaks and epidemics; Principles of surveillance; Approach
to disasters, international emergencies; Biosafety: containment of current pathogens and
emerging pathogens; Pest and vector control
DOMAIN VII: DIAGNOSTIC TOOLS (10%)
Laboratory Procedures and Techniques
• Smears of blood and other fluids; Biopsy specimens (e.g., skin, bone marrow); Stool
specimens for microscopic examination; Cultures for bacteria, fungi, and parasites
Laboratory Interpretation and Identification
• Routine tests (e.g., complete blood count, urinalysis); Microscopic identification of
bacteria, fungi, viruses, protozoa, and helminths; Macroscopic identification of common
helminths (e.g., Ascaris, tapeworms, pinworms) and ectoparasites; Interpretation of
serologic tests for protozoa, helminths, bacteria, fungi, and viruses; Special tests
(e.g., molecular diagnosis, histopathology, point-of-care testing)
Radiologic Image Interpretation
• Radiograph; MRI/CT scan; Ultrasound
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