Question 1

Explain the most likely reason why smallpox was successfully eradicated but rabies probably never will be.

Accepted Answer

A)  Smallpox was only found in humans; rabies is found in numerous animal reservoirs. We cannot reasonably eliminate rabies in all of the animal reservoirs that exist. 
B)  It was far easier to vaccinate the world population against smallpox than against rabies, due to the lower number of injections required for the smallpox vaccine. It becomes a compliance issue. 
C)  Since there are very few cases of rabies each year, there is little financial incentive to push health organizations to eradicate the illness through worldwide vaccination. 
D)  The symptoms of smallpox are easier to identify than the symptoms of rabies, so some carriers of rabies are not accurately diagnosed. This can lead to asymptomatic carriers present within the population of susceptible individuals, spreading the virus. 
E)  Smallpox was eradicated because anyone who got the disease died from it, so at some point there was no reservoir for the virus. 
A)  Smallpox was only found in humans; rabies is found in numerous animal reservoirs. We cannot reasonably eliminate rabies in all of the animal reservoirs that exist. 
B)  It was far easier to vaccinate the world population against smallpox than against rabies, due to the lower number of injections required for the smallpox vaccine. It becomes a compliance issue. 
C)  Since there are very few cases of rabies each year, there is little financial incentive to push health organizations to eradicate the illness through worldwide vaccination. 
D)  The symptoms of smallpox are easier to identify than the symptoms of rabies, so some carriers of rabies are not accurately diagnosed. This can lead to asymptomatic carriers present within the population of susceptible individuals, spreading the virus. 
E)  Smallpox was eradicated because anyone who got the disease died from it, so at some point there was no reservoir for the virus. A

Question 2

Inanimate objects capable of transferring infectious disease agents are

Accepted Answer

A)  vectors. 
B)  fomites. 
C)  vehicles. 
D)  reservoirs. 
E)  arthropods. 
A)  vectors. 
B)  fomites. 
C)  vehicles. 
D)  reservoirs. 
E)  arthropods. B

Question 3

The number of people in a defined population who die during a given period is called the

Accepted Answer

A)  mortality rate. 
B)  morbidity rate. 
C)  attack rate. 
D)  incidence rate. 
E)  case rate. 
A)  mortality rate. 
B)  morbidity rate. 
C)  attack rate. 
D)  incidence rate. 
E)  case rate. A

Question 4

Diseases constantly present in a population are called

Accepted Answer

A)  epidemic. 
B)  chronic. 
C)  latent. 
D)  endemic. 
E)  prodromic. 
A)  epidemic. 
B)  chronic. 
C)  latent. 
D)  endemic. 
E)  prodromic.

Question 5

Select the sequence that indicates the steps that occur in the chain of infection.
1) Transmission.
2) Susceptible host.
3) Reservoir of infectious agent.
4) Portal of exit.
5) Portal of entry.

Accepted Answer

A)  3, 4, 1, 5, 2 
B)  2, 3, 5, 4, 1 
C)  1, 2, 3, 4, 5 
D)  5, 3, 1, 2, 4 
E)  3, 2, 1, 5, 4 
A)  3, 4, 1, 5, 2 
B)  2, 3, 5, 4, 1 
C)  1, 2, 3, 4, 5 
D)  5, 3, 1, 2, 4 
E)  3, 2, 1, 5, 4

Question 6

So far, the only disease that has been globally eradicated is

Accepted Answer

A)  polio. 
B)  smallpox. 
C)  measles. 
D)  diphtheria. 
A)  polio. 
B)  smallpox. 
C)  measles. 
D)  diphtheria.

Question 7

Which of the following contributes to nosocomial disease?

Accepted Answer

A)  Susceptible population 
B)  Hospital environment 
C)  Other patients 
D)  Patient's own normal microbiota 
E)  All of the choices are correct. 
A)  Susceptible population 
B)  Hospital environment 
C)  Other patients 
D)  Patient's own normal microbiota 
E)  All of the choices are correct.

Question 8

Explain how the incubation period can influence the spread of an infectious agent.

Accepted Answer

A)  Incubation period does not affect the spread of an infectious agent. An infectious carrier will only spread the illness when they are showing acute symptoms. As such, the length of incubation period is not important for spreading the illness. 
B)  Depending on the microbe and the illness, an asymptomatic carrier in the incubation period might be shedding infectious microbes to his/her surroundings. In such a case, a longer incubation period would lead to a greater spread of the disease as the carrier comes into contact with more individuals while he/she is generally appearing to be healthy. 
C)  A very short incubation period will place a patient into the highly infectious active disease state sooner. Since people avoid contact with actively ill individuals, a very short incubation period will always lead to a decrease in the spread of an infectious disease. 
D)  A very long incubation period will place a patient into the highly infectious active disease state later. Since people generally avoid contact with actively ill individuals, a very long incubation period will always lead to a decrease in the spread of an infectious disease. 
E)  A short incubation period leads to an increase in the spread of an infectious agent. This is because diseases with a short incubation period are always far more severe than those with a long incubation period, so the infectious agent is spread more vigorously. 
A)  Incubation period does not affect the spread of an infectious agent. An infectious carrier will only spread the illness when they are showing acute symptoms. As such, the length of incubation period is not important for spreading the illness. 
B)  Depending on the microbe and the illness, an asymptomatic carrier in the incubation period might be shedding infectious microbes to his/her surroundings. In such a case, a longer incubation period would lead to a greater spread of the disease as the carrier comes into contact with more individuals while he/she is generally appearing to be healthy. 
C)  A very short incubation period will place a patient into the highly infectious active disease state sooner. Since people avoid contact with actively ill individuals, a very short incubation period will always lead to a decrease in the spread of an infectious disease. 
D)  A very long incubation period will place a patient into the highly infectious active disease state later. Since people generally avoid contact with actively ill individuals, a very long incubation period will always lead to a decrease in the spread of an infectious disease. 
E)  A short incubation period leads to an increase in the spread of an infectious agent. This is because diseases with a short incubation period are always far more severe than those with a long incubation period, so the infectious agent is spread more vigorously.

Question 9

The natural habitat of a pathogen is referred to as its

Accepted Answer

A)  home. 
B)  reservoir. 
C)  primary inhabitance. 
D)  infectious site. 
E)  place. 
A)  home. 
B)  reservoir. 
C)  primary inhabitance. 
D)  infectious site. 
E)  place.

Question 10

In 1918-1919, an influenza virus infected about 500 million people worldwide, killing at least 50 million of them. This disease is best described as a(n) ________.

Accepted Answer

A)  epidemic 
B)  pandemic 
C)  outbreak 
D)  sporadic outbreak 
E)  endemic disease. 
A)  epidemic 
B)  pandemic 
C)  outbreak 
D)  sporadic outbreak 
E)  endemic disease.

Question 11

The first identified case in an outbreak is called the

Accepted Answer

A)  starter case. 
B)  traceable case. 
C)  primary case. 
D)  index case. 
E)  initiator case. 
A)  starter case. 
B)  traceable case. 
C)  primary case. 
D)  index case. 
E)  initiator case.

Question 12

The amount of infecting agent received by susceptible individuals is called the

Accepted Answer

A)  exposure. 
B)  infectious number. 
C)  infectious dose. 
D)  infecting level. 
E)  infective exposure. 
A)  exposure. 
B)  infectious number. 
C)  infectious dose. 
D)  infecting level. 
E)  infective exposure.

Question 13

Which of the following is not a vector?

Accepted Answer

A)  Fomite 
B)  Human 
C)  Fly 
D)  Flea 
E)  Fomite AND human 
A)  Fomite 
B)  Human 
C)  Fly 
D)  Flea 
E)  Fomite AND human

Question 14

An experimental study in which neither the doctor nor the patient knows who is getting the actual treatment is called a ________ study.

Accepted Answer

A)  single-sided 
B)  double-sided 
C)  double-blind 
D)  double-barrier 
E)  test-sided 
A)  single-sided 
B)  double-sided 
C)  double-blind 
D)  double-barrier 
E)  test-sided

Question 15

The publication of the CDC that reports new cases of reportable infectious diseases is titled

Accepted Answer

A)  Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR). 
B)  State Health News Letter (SHNL). 
C)  Federal Report of Infectious Disease (FRI
D) . 
D)  National Morbidity Weekly (NMW). 
E)  Monthly Death and Disease Report (MDDR). 
A)  Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR). 
B)  State Health News Letter (SHNL). 
C)  Federal Report of Infectious Disease (FRI
D) . 
D)  National Morbidity Weekly (NMW). 
E)  Monthly Death and Disease Report (MDDR).

Question 16

Cross-sectional surveys are very useful in establishing cause of a disease.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 17

The World Health Organization (WHO) is part of the

Accepted Answer

A)  Food and Drug Administration. 
B)  Department of Health and Human Services. 
C)  Department of Human Resources. 
D)  United Nations. 
E)  North Atlantic Treaty Organization. 
A)  Food and Drug Administration. 
B)  Department of Health and Human Services. 
C)  Department of Human Resources. 
D)  United Nations. 
E)  North Atlantic Treaty Organization.

Question 18

Human population growth and expansion contribute to emergence of diseases.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 19

Schistosomiasis has increased in areas where

Accepted Answer

A)  snails have become a delicacy. 
B)  crayfish are eaten. 
C)  dams have been built. 
D)  swamps have been drained. 
E)  people fish for sport. 
A)  snails have become a delicacy. 
B)  crayfish are eaten. 
C)  dams have been built. 
D)  swamps have been drained. 
E)  people fish for sport.

Question 20

There were 27 students at the picnic, of which 18 developed illness. The attack rate was thus nearly 67%. What does this mean?

Accepted Answer

A)  The attack rate describes the number of susceptible people who become ill in a population after exposure to an infectious agent, in this case 67%. 
B)  The attack rate is the number of new cases in a specific time period in a given population, in this case 27. 
C)  This describes the number of people in a defined population who die during a given period, in this case nearly 18%. 
D)  The attack rate is the total number of cases at any time or for a specific period in a given population, in this case 27. 
E)  It describes the situation in which a particular disease arises from several genera of a person's own normal microbiota, in this case 18. 
A)  The attack rate describes the number of susceptible people who become ill in a population after exposure to an infectious agent, in this case 67%. 
B)  The attack rate is the number of new cases in a specific time period in a given population, in this case 27. 
C)  This describes the number of people in a defined population who die during a given period, in this case nearly 18%. 
D)  The attack rate is the total number of cases at any time or for a specific period in a given population, in this case 27. 
E)  It describes the situation in which a particular disease arises from several genera of a person's own normal microbiota, in this case 18.

Exam 19: Epidemiology

Explain the most likely reason why smallpox was successfully eradicated but rabies probably never will be.

Inanimate objects capable of transferring infectious disease agents are

The number of people in a defined population who die during a given period is called the

Diseases constantly present in a population are called

Select the sequence that indicates the steps that occur in the chain of infection. 1) Transmission. 2) Susceptible host. 3) Reservoir of infectious agent. 4) Portal of exit. 5) Portal of entry.

So far, the only disease that has been globally eradicated is

Which of the following contributes to nosocomial disease?

Explain how the incubation period can influence the spread of an infectious agent.

The natural habitat of a pathogen is referred to as its

In 1918-1919, an influenza virus infected about 500 million people worldwide, killing at least 50 million of them. This disease is best described as a(n) ________.

The first identified case in an outbreak is called the

The amount of infecting agent received by susceptible individuals is called the

Which of the following is not a vector?

An experimental study in which neither the doctor nor the patient knows who is getting the actual treatment is called a ________ study.

The publication of the CDC that reports new cases of reportable infectious diseases is titled

Cross-sectional surveys are very useful in establishing cause of a disease.

The World Health Organization (WHO) is part of the

Human population growth and expansion contribute to emergence of diseases.

Schistosomiasis has increased in areas where

There were 27 students at the picnic, of which 18 developed illness. The attack rate was thus nearly 67%. What does this mean?

Humans and the Microbial World

The Molecules of Life

Microscopy and Cell Structure

Dynamics of Microbial Growth

Control of Microbial Growth

Microbial Metabolism: Fueling Cell Growth

The Blueprint of Life, from DNA to Protein

Bacterial Genetics

Biotechnology

Identifying and Classifying Microorganisms

The Diversity of Bacteria and Archaea

The Eukaryotic Members of the Microbial World

Viruses, Viroids, and Prions

The Innate Immune Response

The Adaptive Immune Response

Host-Microbe Interactions

Immunological Disorders

Applications of Immune Responses

Antimicrobial Medications

Respiratory System Infections

Skin Infections

Wound Infections

Digestive System Infections

Blood and Lymphatic Infections

Nervous System Infections

Genitourinary Tract Infections

Microbial Ecology

Environmental Microbiology: Treatment of Water, Wastes, and Polluted Habitats

Food Microbiology

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