Chapter 14 Study Questions

Which of the following can contribute to postoperative infections? A) errors in aseptic technique B) using syringes more than once C) antibiotic resistance D) normal microbiota on the operating room staff E) All of the answers are correct.

The science that deals with when diseases occur and how they are transmitted is called A) morbidity and mortality. B) ecology. C) communicable disease. D) epidemiology. E) public health.

The major significance of Robert Koch's work is that A) diseases can be transmitted from one animal to another. B) microorganisms are the result of disease. C) microorganisms are present in a diseased animal. D) microorganisms cause disease. E) microorganisms can be cultured.

The yeast Candida albicans does not normally cause disease because of A) parasitic bacteria. B) other fungi. C) commensal bacteria. D) symbiotic bacteria. E) antagonistic bacteria.

Focal infections initially start out as A) systemic infections. B) sepsis. C) bacteremia. D) septicemia. E) local infections.

Which of the following definitions is INCORRECT? A) endemic: a disease that is constantly present in a population B) sporadic: a disease that affects a population occasionally C) epidemic: a disease that is endemic across the world D) pandemic: a disease that affects a large number of people in the world in a short time E) incidence: number of new cases of a disease

Koch observed Bacillus anthracis multiplying in the blood of cattle. What is this condition called? A) systemic infection B) local infection C) focal infection D) bacteremia E) septicemia

Which of the following statements about nosocomial infections is FALSE? A) They occur in compromised patients. B) The patient was infected before hospitalization. C) They may be caused by opportunists. D) They may be caused by drug-resistant bacteria. E) They may be caused by normal microbiota.

During a six-month period, 239 cases of pneumonia occurred in a town of 300 people. A clinical case was defined as fever ≥39°C lasting >2 days with three or more symptoms (i.e., chills, sweats, severe headache, cough, aching muscles/joints, fatigue, or feeling ill). A laboratory-confirmed case was defined as a positive result for antibodies against Coxiella burnetii. Before the outbreak, 2000 sheep were kept northwest of the town. Of the 20 sheep tested from the flock,15 were positive for C. burnetii antibodies. Wind blew from the northwest, and rainfall was 0.5 cm compared with 7 to 10 cm during each of the previous three years. The etiologic agent of the disease is A) sheep. B) wind. C) soil. D) pneumonia. E) Coxiella burnetii.

During a six-month period, 239 cases of pneumonia occurred in a town of 300 people. A clinical case was defined as fever ≥39°C lasting >2 days with three or more symptoms (i.e., chills, sweats, severe headache, cough, aching muscles/joints, fatigue, or feeling ill). A laboratory-confirmed case was defined as a positive result for antibodies against Coxiella burnetii. Before the outbreak, 2000 sheep were kept northwest of the town. Of the 20 sheep tested from the flock,15 were positive for C. burnetii antibodies. Wind blew from the northwest, and rainfall was 0.5 cm compared with 7 to 10 cm during each of the previous three years. The method of transmission of the disease is A) direct contact. B) vehicle. C) indirect contact. D) vector-borne. E) droplet.

Which of the following statements is TRUE? A) At least one member must benefit in a symbiotic relationship. B) Symbiosis refers to different organisms living together and benefiting from each other. C) At least one member must not benefit in a symbiotic relationship. D) A parasite is not in symbiosis with its host. E) Members of a symbiotic relationship cannot live without each other.

In which of the following diseases can gender be considered a viable predisposing factor? A) urinary tract infections B) pneumonia C) salmonellosis D) anthrax E) tetanus

If a prodromal period exists for a certain disease, it should occur prior to A) illness. B) convalescence. C) decline. D) incubation.

Which of the following definitions is INCORRECT? A) secondary infection: a long-lasting illness B) inapparent: infection characteristic of a carrier state C) acute: a short-lasting primary infection D) primary infection: an initial illness E) chronic: a disease that develops slowly and lasts for months

Which of the following pairs is mismatched? A) malaria - vector B) influenza - droplet infection C) syphilis - direct contact D) salmonellosis - vehicle transmission E) None of the pairs is mismatched.

Pseudomonas bacteria colonized the bile duct of a patient following his liver transplant surgery. This is an example of a A) latent infection. B) communicable disease. C) sporadic disease. D) nosocomial infection. E) None of the answers is correct.

Biological transmission differs from mechanical transmission in that biological transmission A) involves fomites. B) involves specific diseases. C) requires an arthropod. D) requires direct contact. E) works only with noncommunicable diseases.

Which one of the following is NOT a zoonosis? A) tapeworm B) cat-scratch disease C) Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome D) rabies E) None of the answers is correct; all of these are zoonoses.

Which of the following is NOT a verified exception in the use of Koch's postulates? A) Some diseases are noncommunicable. B) Some diseases have poorly defined etiologies. C) Some pathogens can cause several disease conditions. D) Some diseases are not caused by microbes. E) Some human diseases have no other known animal host.

Which of the following is NOT a predisposing factor of disease? A) lifestyle B) climate C) genetic background D) occupation E) None of the answers are correct; all of these are predisposing factors of disease.

Symptoms of disease differ from signs of disease in that symptoms A) are specific for a particular disease. B) are changes observed by the physician. C) are changes felt by the patient. D) always occur as part of a syndrome. E) None of the answers is correct.

The rise in herd immunity amongst a population can directly attributed to A) improved handwashing. B) increased use of antibiotics. C) antibiotic-resistant microorganisms. D) vaccinations. E) None of the answers is correct.

During a six-month period, 239 cases of pneumonia occurred in a town of 300 people. A clinical case was defined as fever ≥39°C lasting >2 days with three or more symptoms (i.e., chills, sweats, severe headache, cough, aching muscles/joints, fatigue, or feeling ill). A laboratory-confirmed case was defined as a positive result for antibodies against Coxiella burnetii. Before the outbreak, 2000 sheep were kept northwest of the town. Of the 20 sheep tested from the flock, 15 were positive for C. burnetii antibodies. Wind blew from the northwest, and rainfall was 0.5 cm compared with 7 to 10 cm during each of the previous three years. what is this an example of? A) a focal infection. B) human reservoirs. C) a vector. D) a nonliving reservoir. E) a zoonosis.

A needlestick is an example of A) vector. B) fomite. C) direct contact. D) droplet transmission. E) vehicle transmission.

One effect of washing regularly with antibacterial agents is the removal of normal microbiota. This can result in A) no bacterial growth because washing removes their food source. B) body odor. C) fewer diseases. D) increased susceptibility to disease. E) normal microbiota returning immediately.

Which of the following diseases is NOT spread by droplet infection? A) tuberculosis B) diphtheria C) measles D) botulism E) the common cold

In Figure 14.2, when is the prevalence the highest? A) January B) July C) March D) February E) The answer cannot be determined based on the information provided.

Which of the following statements about biological transmission is FALSE? A) The pathogen reproduces in the vector. B) The pathogen may be injected by the bite of the vector. C) The pathogen may require the vector as a host. D) Houseflies are an important vector. E) The pathogen may enter the host in the vector's feces.

Which of the following is NOT a reservoir of infection? A) a hospital B) a sick animal C) a sick person D) a healthy person E) None of the answers is correct; all of these can be reservoirs of infection.

Emergence of infectious diseases can be attributed to all of the following EXCEPT A) new strains of previously known agents. B) ease of travel. C) climatic changes. D) antibiotic resistance. E) None of the answers is correct; the emergence of infectious diseases can be attributed to all of these.

A disease in which the causative agent remains inactive for a time before producing symptoms is referred to as A) latent. B) zoonotic. C) subclinical. D) acute. E) subacut.

The CDC is located in A) Chicago, IL. B) Las Angeles, CA. C) New York City, NY. D) Atlanta, GA. E) Washington, DC.

The graph in Figure 14.3 shows the incidence of polio in the United States. The period between 1945 and 1955 indicates a(n): A) epidemic level. B) endemic level. C) sporadic infection. D) communicable disease. E) pandemic.

Which of the following is NOT an example of microbial antagonism? A) bacteria causing disease B) bacteria producing vitamin K C) bacteriocin production D) bacteria occupying host receptors E) acid production by bacteria

Which of the following is NOT a communicable diseases? A) tuberculosis B) malaria C) AIDS D) typhoid fever E) tetanus

Figure 14.1 shows the incidence of influenza during a typical year. Which letter on the graph indicates the endemic level? A) a B) b C) c D) d E) The answer cannot be determined based on the information provided. *d is the dashed line closest to the base of the graph

A researcher has performed a prospective study on the disease tetanus. To which specific kind of epidemiological study is this referring? A) descriptive B) analytical C) prodromal D) case control E) experimental

Transient microbiota differ from normal microbiota in that transient microbiota A) are found in a certain location on the host. B) are present for a relatively short time. C) never cause disease. D) cause diseases. E) are always acquired by direct contact.

A commensal bacterium A) does not infect its host. B) does not receive any benefit from its host. C) may also be an opportunistic pathogen. D) is beneficial to its host. E) is beneficial to, and does not infect, its host.

A nosocomial infection is A) always caused by medical personnel. B) acquired during the course of hospitalization. C) always present, but is inapparent at the time of hospitalization. D) only a result of surgery. E) always caused by pathogenic bacteria.

Which one of the following does NOT contribute to the incidence of nosocomial infections? A) lapse in aseptic techniques B) lack of handwashing C) antibiotic resistance D) lack of insect control E) gram-negative cell walls

Which of the following is a fomite? A) insects B) water C) pus D) a hypodermic needle E) droplets from a sneeze

A cold transmitted by a facial tissue is an example of A) droplet transmission. B) direct contact. C) vehicle transmission. D) fomite. E) vector.

In which of the following patterns of disease does the patient experience no signs or symptoms? A) prodromal B) decline C) convalescence D) incubation E) incubation and convalescence

Which of the following statements is FALSE? A) The USA100 strain accounts for most hospital-acquired MRSA. B) S. aureus is differentiated from other mannitol+ cocci by the coagulase test. C) Antimicrobial therapy for hemodialysis-associated infections increases antibiotic resistance. D) The USA300 strain accounts for most community-acquired MRSA. E) The M in MRSA stands for mannitol.