PLTW - MEDICAL INTERVENTIONS FINAL PRACTICE
EXAMINATION 2026 QUESTIONS WITH ANSWERS GRADED
A+
● What is a medical intervention?. Answer: Any measure whose purpose is to improve health
or alter the course of disease
● What are the main categories of interventions that function to maintain human health?.
Answer: Treatments, Diagnostics and Equipment
● How do scientists gather evidence during the potential outbreak of an infectious disease?.
Answer: 1. Recording patient's symptoms and find similarities with other patients 2. Isolate
bacteria in a lab 3. Go to affected areas and determine the origin 4. DNA sequences can be
used to identify disease pathogens since they alter the DNA sequences
● What is bioinformatics?. Answer: The collection, classification, storage, and analysis of
biochemical and biological information using computers especially as applied in molecular
genetics and genomics.
● How can DNA sequences be used to identify disease pathogens?. Answer: you can
observe mutations and abnormalities that disease pathogens have
● What is an antibody?. Answer: An antigen-bonding immunoglobulin, produces by B cells,
that functions as the effector in an immune response.
● How do antibodies identify and inactivate antigens?. Answer: 1. They use shape
recognition 2. The proteins of cells are configured to specific antibodies, so the foreign
antigens bind to the specific antibodies that inactivate them
● How can the ELISA assay be used to detect disease?. Answer: 1. Primary antibodies
attach to specific antigen 2. Secondary antibody attaches to primary antibody 3. When
enzyme substrate is added, color change occurs
● Why is it important for doctors to know the concentration of disease antigen present in a
patient's system?. Answer: The higher the concentration, the closer to patient zero.
● What steps do scientists take to diagnose, treat, and prevent future spread of a disease
outbreak?. Answer: 1. Symptoms are noted 2. Origin of pathogen is determined/incubation
, time 3. Tests like blood tests to determine antibodies and antigens 4. Preventative measure
like quarantining.
● How were the following used in managing the outbreak on Sue Smith's campus: PCR,
Bioinformatics/BLAST, and ELISA?. Answer: Which part of the bacterial cell allows the
bacteria to attach to specific surfaces?
● Which bacterial structure is involved with protein synthesis?. Answer: What is an
endotoxin?
● A toxin that is inherently present inside a bacterial cell. Answer: What is the structural
difference between Gram positive and Gram negative bacteria?
● How do antibiotics work to fight bacteria?. Answer: Penicillins
● Tetracycline. Answer: antibiotic Inhibits bacterial protein synthesis
● Fluoroquinolones. Answer: Sulfa Antibiotics
● Efflux. Answer: Transport of a solute molecule from inside to outside the cell
● Destruction/Inactivation. Answer: Exchange enzymes that chemically degrade the antibiotic
(Form of resistance to antibiotics)
● Mutation. Answer: A change in a gene or chromosome.
● Explain the difference between limited spectrum and broad spectrum antibiotics.. Answer:
Limited spectrum only kills some cells, the cells that are infected. Broad spectrum kills are
cells, even healthy cells.
● What methods do bacteria use to share antibiotic resistant genes? Explain the difference
between conjugation, transformation, and transduction.. Answer: Conjugation - The one-way
transfer of DNA between bacteria in cellular contact. Transformation -The genetic modification
of a bacterium by incorporation of free DNA from another ruptured bacterial cell. Transduction
- The transfer of genetic material from one organism (such as a bacterium) to another by a
genetic vector.
● What is the difference between the chromosomal DNA and plasmid DNA when thinking
about antibiotic resistance?. Answer: What is the best antibiotic to use when treating a
Gram-positive bacterial disease?
● How would you determine which strain of Streptococcus aureus had a plasmid for
resistance to streptomycin?. Answer: What actions are humans taking that are contributing to
EXAMINATION 2026 QUESTIONS WITH ANSWERS GRADED
A+
● What is a medical intervention?. Answer: Any measure whose purpose is to improve health
or alter the course of disease
● What are the main categories of interventions that function to maintain human health?.
Answer: Treatments, Diagnostics and Equipment
● How do scientists gather evidence during the potential outbreak of an infectious disease?.
Answer: 1. Recording patient's symptoms and find similarities with other patients 2. Isolate
bacteria in a lab 3. Go to affected areas and determine the origin 4. DNA sequences can be
used to identify disease pathogens since they alter the DNA sequences
● What is bioinformatics?. Answer: The collection, classification, storage, and analysis of
biochemical and biological information using computers especially as applied in molecular
genetics and genomics.
● How can DNA sequences be used to identify disease pathogens?. Answer: you can
observe mutations and abnormalities that disease pathogens have
● What is an antibody?. Answer: An antigen-bonding immunoglobulin, produces by B cells,
that functions as the effector in an immune response.
● How do antibodies identify and inactivate antigens?. Answer: 1. They use shape
recognition 2. The proteins of cells are configured to specific antibodies, so the foreign
antigens bind to the specific antibodies that inactivate them
● How can the ELISA assay be used to detect disease?. Answer: 1. Primary antibodies
attach to specific antigen 2. Secondary antibody attaches to primary antibody 3. When
enzyme substrate is added, color change occurs
● Why is it important for doctors to know the concentration of disease antigen present in a
patient's system?. Answer: The higher the concentration, the closer to patient zero.
● What steps do scientists take to diagnose, treat, and prevent future spread of a disease
outbreak?. Answer: 1. Symptoms are noted 2. Origin of pathogen is determined/incubation
, time 3. Tests like blood tests to determine antibodies and antigens 4. Preventative measure
like quarantining.
● How were the following used in managing the outbreak on Sue Smith's campus: PCR,
Bioinformatics/BLAST, and ELISA?. Answer: Which part of the bacterial cell allows the
bacteria to attach to specific surfaces?
● Which bacterial structure is involved with protein synthesis?. Answer: What is an
endotoxin?
● A toxin that is inherently present inside a bacterial cell. Answer: What is the structural
difference between Gram positive and Gram negative bacteria?
● How do antibiotics work to fight bacteria?. Answer: Penicillins
● Tetracycline. Answer: antibiotic Inhibits bacterial protein synthesis
● Fluoroquinolones. Answer: Sulfa Antibiotics
● Efflux. Answer: Transport of a solute molecule from inside to outside the cell
● Destruction/Inactivation. Answer: Exchange enzymes that chemically degrade the antibiotic
(Form of resistance to antibiotics)
● Mutation. Answer: A change in a gene or chromosome.
● Explain the difference between limited spectrum and broad spectrum antibiotics.. Answer:
Limited spectrum only kills some cells, the cells that are infected. Broad spectrum kills are
cells, even healthy cells.
● What methods do bacteria use to share antibiotic resistant genes? Explain the difference
between conjugation, transformation, and transduction.. Answer: Conjugation - The one-way
transfer of DNA between bacteria in cellular contact. Transformation -The genetic modification
of a bacterium by incorporation of free DNA from another ruptured bacterial cell. Transduction
- The transfer of genetic material from one organism (such as a bacterium) to another by a
genetic vector.
● What is the difference between the chromosomal DNA and plasmid DNA when thinking
about antibiotic resistance?. Answer: What is the best antibiotic to use when treating a
Gram-positive bacterial disease?
● How would you determine which strain of Streptococcus aureus had a plasmid for
resistance to streptomycin?. Answer: What actions are humans taking that are contributing to
