Medical Microbiology Final Exam Questions and
Answers
1. A woman returns from vacation at Victoria Falls in Zambia. While
there, she suffered numerous mosquito bites (Aedes) and now she
has a fever, aches in her joints, exhaustion, and an erythematous
rash on her body. Her symptoms are most consistent with correct
answer: correct answer: Dengue fever
2. Arboviruses are correct answer: correct answer: viruses that are transmitted to humans by
the bite of an arthropod
3. A patient has her blood
drawn. If she is infested with parasitic worms, we would expect
her to have an elevated count. correct answer:
eosinophil
4. A person is hospitalized with severe Covid-19 and her respiratory
function is worsening. At the hospital, a doctor collects a sputum
specimen and plates it on Sarabaud-dextrose agar. Growth on the
plate indicates correct answer: correct answer: A fungal infection
5. Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the causative agent of tuberculosis is
different from other bacteria because of its correct answer: correct
answer: High cell wall lipid content
6. A group of women go to a party and later develop fevers and
flu-like symp- toms. It is determined that they are infected by the
same bacterial species. All of them ate the same dairy products and
deli meats at the party, but these were refrigerated. The causative agent
is most likely correct answer: correct answer: Listeria monocytogenes
7. Beta-lactam antibiotics work by (pick the best answer) correct answer:
correct answer: inhibiting the cross linkage of NAM subunits in the bacterial cell
wall
8. Name two characteristics that can be used to distinguish
Staphylococci from Streptococci. correct answer:
9. Sometimes, behavior change is a key factor in preventing infectious
1/
6
, diseases. Please name two different microbes the diseases they
cause, and provide at least one behavior change for each
microbe/disease that is critical in disease prevention.
Here is one example correct answer: SARS CoV-2 is the causative
agent of COVID-19. Wearing a mask and social distancing are
important behavior changes in preventing the spread of disease.
SARS CoV is the causative agent of SARS, protecting the uninfected
with masks is an important behavior change in stopping the spread of
SARS CoV.
(Do not use the example of SARS CoV-2/COVID or SARS CoV/SARS)
correct answer:
10. Which family is most likely to contain viruses that exist in a
latent state in humans? correct answer: Herpesviridae
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6
Answers
1. A woman returns from vacation at Victoria Falls in Zambia. While
there, she suffered numerous mosquito bites (Aedes) and now she
has a fever, aches in her joints, exhaustion, and an erythematous
rash on her body. Her symptoms are most consistent with correct
answer: correct answer: Dengue fever
2. Arboviruses are correct answer: correct answer: viruses that are transmitted to humans by
the bite of an arthropod
3. A patient has her blood
drawn. If she is infested with parasitic worms, we would expect
her to have an elevated count. correct answer:
eosinophil
4. A person is hospitalized with severe Covid-19 and her respiratory
function is worsening. At the hospital, a doctor collects a sputum
specimen and plates it on Sarabaud-dextrose agar. Growth on the
plate indicates correct answer: correct answer: A fungal infection
5. Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the causative agent of tuberculosis is
different from other bacteria because of its correct answer: correct
answer: High cell wall lipid content
6. A group of women go to a party and later develop fevers and
flu-like symp- toms. It is determined that they are infected by the
same bacterial species. All of them ate the same dairy products and
deli meats at the party, but these were refrigerated. The causative agent
is most likely correct answer: correct answer: Listeria monocytogenes
7. Beta-lactam antibiotics work by (pick the best answer) correct answer:
correct answer: inhibiting the cross linkage of NAM subunits in the bacterial cell
wall
8. Name two characteristics that can be used to distinguish
Staphylococci from Streptococci. correct answer:
9. Sometimes, behavior change is a key factor in preventing infectious
1/
6
, diseases. Please name two different microbes the diseases they
cause, and provide at least one behavior change for each
microbe/disease that is critical in disease prevention.
Here is one example correct answer: SARS CoV-2 is the causative
agent of COVID-19. Wearing a mask and social distancing are
important behavior changes in preventing the spread of disease.
SARS CoV is the causative agent of SARS, protecting the uninfected
with masks is an important behavior change in stopping the spread of
SARS CoV.
(Do not use the example of SARS CoV-2/COVID or SARS CoV/SARS)
correct answer:
10. Which family is most likely to contain viruses that exist in a
latent state in humans? correct answer: Herpesviridae
2/
6
