Question 1

If a patient has a throat culture done and the culture reveals the presence of a-hemolytic colonies, what does this indicate?

Accepted Answer

A) These organisms are pathogenic and must be treated. 
B) These organisms are normally found in the pharynx and are normal. 
C) The patient is suffering from a viral pharyngitis. 
D) The patient has mouth ulcers that require antiviral treatment. 
A) These organisms are pathogenic and must be treated. 
B) These organisms are normally found in the pharynx and are normal. 
C) The patient is suffering from a viral pharyngitis. 
D) The patient has mouth ulcers that require antiviral treatment. B

Question 2

What is the specimen of choice for recovery of Bordetella pertussis?

Accepted Answer

A) Sputum specimens 
B) Throat swabs 
C) Nasopharyngeal swabs 
D) Bronchial aspirate 
A) Sputum specimens 
B) Throat swabs 
C) Nasopharyngeal swabs 
D) Bronchial aspirate C

Question 3

Empyema is a collection of:

Accepted Answer

A) fluid in the lung resulting from the pathogenesis of bacterial pathogens. 
B) fluid in the lung resulting from the pathogenesis of viral pathogens. 
C) purulent fluid in the pleural space between the lung and the chest wall. 
D) purulent fluid in the bronchii and alveoli. 
A) fluid in the lung resulting from the pathogenesis of bacterial pathogens. 
B) fluid in the lung resulting from the pathogenesis of viral pathogens. 
C) purulent fluid in the pleural space between the lung and the chest wall. 
D) purulent fluid in the bronchii and alveoli. C

Question 4

All of the following factors can help the microbiologist differentiate between colonization and infection except:

Accepted Answer

A) presence of a pure culture or mixed flora on the culture plates. 
B) method and site of collection of the specimen. 
C) presence of white blood cells (WBCs) and the number of organisms seen on Gram stain. 
D) A compatible clinical syndrome. 
A) presence of a pure culture or mixed flora on the culture plates. 
B) method and site of collection of the specimen. 
C) presence of white blood cells (WBCs) and the number of organisms seen on Gram stain. 
D) A compatible clinical syndrome.

Question 5

What are the two most frequently identified bacterial causes of community-acquired sinusitis?

Accepted Answer

A) Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli 
B) Streptococcus pneumoniae and Haemophilus influenzae 
C) S.pneumoniae and Mycoplasma pneumoniae 
D) H.influenzae and Neisseria meningitidis 
A) Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli 
B) Streptococcus pneumoniae and Haemophilus influenzae 
C) S.pneumoniae and Mycoplasma pneumoniae 
D) H.influenzae and Neisseria meningitidis

Question 6

What usually causes community-acquired pneumonias in children during the winter months?

Accepted Answer

A) Haemophilus influenzae 
B) Streptococcus pneumoniae 
C) Viral pathogens 
D) Legionella spp. 
A) Haemophilus influenzae 
B) Streptococcus pneumoniae 
C) Viral pathogens 
D) Legionella spp.

Question 7

What is the major cause for chronic bronchitis?

Accepted Answer

A) Acute bronchitis 
B) Respiratory allergies 
C) Pneumonia 
D) Smoking 
A) Acute bronchitis 
B) Respiratory allergies 
C) Pneumonia 
D) Smoking

Question 8

All of the following are complications of acute sinusitis except:

Accepted Answer

A) acute pharyngitis. 
B) meningitis. 
C) osteomyelitis. 
D) orbital cellulitis. 
A) acute pharyngitis. 
B) meningitis. 
C) osteomyelitis. 
D) orbital cellulitis.

Question 9

To what does infection with influenza predispose patients?

Accepted Answer

A) Secondary otitis media 
B) Secondary sinusitis 
C) Secondary pharyngitis 
D) Secondary bacterial pneumonia 
A) Secondary otitis media 
B) Secondary sinusitis 
C) Secondary pharyngitis 
D) Secondary bacterial pneumonia

Question 10

What is helpful when initiating empiric antimicrobial therapy?

Accepted Answer

A) Knowing the patient's age 
B) Knowing the pathogens most likely to cause a particular type of infection 
C) Knowing a patient's medical history 
D) Knowing the anatomy of the respiratory tract 
A) Knowing the patient's age 
B) Knowing the pathogens most likely to cause a particular type of infection 
C) Knowing a patient's medical history 
D) Knowing the anatomy of the respiratory tract

Question 11

Elements of the respiratory tract that can help prevent infection include which of the following?

Accepted Answer

A) Nasal hair 
B) Normal flora 
C) Coughing 
D) All of the above 
A) Nasal hair 
B) Normal flora 
C) Coughing 
D) All of the above

Question 12

What virus causes community-wide seasonal outbreaks of bronchiolitis in infants?

Accepted Answer

A) Rhinovirus 
B) Parainfluenza virus 
C) Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) 
D) Influenzae virus 
A) Rhinovirus 
B) Parainfluenza virus 
C) Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) 
D) Influenzae virus

Question 13

Acute sinusitis usually occurs as a complication of:

Accepted Answer

A) bacterial pneumonia. 
B) viral pneumonia. 
C) the common cold. 
D) streptococcal pharyngitis. 
A) bacterial pneumonia. 
B) viral pneumonia. 
C) the common cold. 
D) streptococcal pharyngitis.

Question 14

Why is pharyngitis produced by group A Streptococcus treated with antibiotics?

Accepted Answer

A) To prevent rheumatic fever and acute glomerulonephritis 
B) To prevent epiglottis 
C) To prevent swelling of tonsils 
D) To prevent swelling of soft tissues in the pharynx 
A) To prevent rheumatic fever and acute glomerulonephritis 
B) To prevent epiglottis 
C) To prevent swelling of tonsils 
D) To prevent swelling of soft tissues in the pharynx

Question 15

What type of pneumonia has been associated with Staphylococcus aureus that produces Panton-Valentine leukocidin?

Accepted Answer

A) Methicillin-resistant pneumonia 
B) Necrotizing pneumonia 
C) Bacterial 
D) Viral 
A) Methicillin-resistant pneumonia 
B) Necrotizing pneumonia 
C) Bacterial 
D) Viral

Question 16

What organism is the most common opportunistic pathogen that routinely infects patients with HIV/AIDS?

Accepted Answer

A) Pneumocystis (carinii) jirovecii 
B) Mycoplasma pneumoniae 
C) Serratia marcescens 
D) Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) 
A) Pneumocystis (carinii) jirovecii 
B) Mycoplasma pneumoniae 
C) Serratia marcescens 
D) Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV)

Question 17

What should a microbiologist do if he or she finds a-hemolytic colonies on a properly collected sputum specimen on a patient suspected of having lobar pneumonia?

Accepted Answer

A) Ignore the colonies because they are normal flora. 
B) Ignore the colonies because no known pathogens for pneumonia are a-hemolytic. 
C) Do a full workup to identify the organism. 
D) Suspect a bioterror agent, and send the isolate to a laboratory response network (LRN) reference laboratory. 
A) Ignore the colonies because they are normal flora. 
B) Ignore the colonies because no known pathogens for pneumonia are a-hemolytic. 
C) Do a full workup to identify the organism. 
D) Suspect a bioterror agent, and send the isolate to a laboratory response network (LRN) reference laboratory.

Question 18

What organism causes epiglottis?

Accepted Answer

A) Haemophilus influenzae 
B) Streptococcus pneumoniae 
C) Moraxella catarrhalis 
D) Bordetella pertussis 
A) Haemophilus influenzae 
B) Streptococcus pneumoniae 
C) Moraxella catarrhalis 
D) Bordetella pertussis

Question 19

All the following are virulence factors that allow microorganisms to produce disease except:

Accepted Answer

A) adherence. 
B) toxin elaboration. 
C) mucus production. 
D) host evasion. 
A) adherence. 
B) toxin elaboration. 
C) mucus production. 
D) host evasion.

Question 20

A patient's normal pharyngeal flora can be altered by all of the following except:

Accepted Answer

A) broad-spectrum antibiotics. 
B) recent hospitalization. 
C) chronic illness. 
D) visiting a nursing home. 
A) broad-spectrum antibiotics. 
B) recent hospitalization. 
C) chronic illness. 
D) visiting a nursing home.

Exam 32: Upper and Lower Respiratory Tract Infections

If a patient has a throat culture done and the culture reveals the presence of a-hemolytic colonies, what does this indicate?

What is the specimen of choice for recovery of Bordetella pertussis?

Empyema is a collection of:

All of the following factors can help the microbiologist differentiate between colonization and infection except:

What are the two most frequently identified bacterial causes of community-acquired sinusitis?

What usually causes community-acquired pneumonias in children during the winter months?

What is the major cause for chronic bronchitis?

All of the following are complications of acute sinusitis except:

To what does infection with influenza predispose patients?

What is helpful when initiating empiric antimicrobial therapy?

Elements of the respiratory tract that can help prevent infection include which of the following?

What virus causes community-wide seasonal outbreaks of bronchiolitis in infants?

Acute sinusitis usually occurs as a complication of:

Why is pharyngitis produced by group A Streptococcus treated with antibiotics?

What type of pneumonia has been associated with Staphylococcus aureus that produces Panton-Valentine leukocidin?

What organism is the most common opportunistic pathogen that routinely infects patients with HIV/AIDS?

What should a microbiologist do if he or she finds a-hemolytic colonies on a properly collected sputum specimen on a patient suspected of having lobar pneumonia?

What organism causes epiglottis?

All the following are virulence factors that allow microorganisms to produce disease except:

A patient's normal pharyngeal flora can be altered by all of the following except:

Bacterial Cell Structure, Physiology, Metabolism, and Genetics

Host-Parasite Interaction

The Laboratory Role in Infection Control

Control of Microorganisms

Performance Improvement in the Microbiology Laboratory

Specimen Collection and Processing

Microscopic Examination of Materials From Infected Sites

Use of Colony Morphology for the Presumptive Identification of Microorganisms

Biochemical Identification of Gram-Negative Bacteria

Immunodiagnosis of Infectious Diseases

Applications of Molecular Diagnostics

Antimicrobial Agent Mechanisms of Action and Resistance

Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing

Staphylococci

Streptococcus, Enterococcus, and Other Catalase-Negative, Gram-Positive Cocci

Aerobic Gram-Positive Bacilli

Neisseria Species and Moraxella Catarrhalis

Haemophilus and Other Fastidious Gram-Negative Bacilli

Enterobacteriaceae

Vibrio, Aeromonas, Plesiomonas, and Campylobacter Species

Nonfermenting and Miscellaneous Gram-Negative Bacilli

Anaerobes of Clinical Importance

The Spirochetes

Chlamydia, Rickettsia and Similar Organisms

Mycoplasma and Ureaplasma

Mycobacterium Tuberculosis and Nontuberculous Mycobacteria

Medically Significant Fungi

Diagnostic Parasitology

Clinical Virology

Agents of Bioterror and Forensic Microbiology

Biofilms: Architects of Disease

Skin and Soft Tissue Infections

Gastrointestinal Infections and Food Poisoning

Infections of the Central Nervous System

Bacteremia and Sepsis

Urinary Tract Infections

Genital Infections and Sexually Transmitted Diseases

Infections in Special Populations

Zoonotic Diseases

Ocular Infections

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