TEXTBOOK OF DIAGNOSTIC MICROBIOLOGY
7 2026 PRACTICE TEST QUESTIONS WITH
EXEMPLAR ANSWERS
◉ 2. The function of the is to gather and focus
light rays on the specimen.
a. Objective
b. Iris diaphram
c. Condenser
d. Ocular. Answer: c. Condenser
◉ 3. Darkfield microscopy is most often used to study:
a. Fungi
b. Mycobacteria
c. Parasitic nuclei
d. Spirochetes. Answer: d. Spirochetes
◉ 9. The typical morphology of Staphylococcus is:
a. Cocci in chains
b. Cocci in clusters
c. Filamentous bacilli
,d. Coccibacilli. Answer: b. Cocci in clusters
◉ 10. In the Gram stain technique, Gram's iodine functions as
the:
a. Primary stain
b. Mordant
c. Decolorizer
d. Counterstain. Answer: b. Mordant
◉ 11. Gram-positive bacteria stain blue to purple.
a. True
b. False. Answer: a. True
◉ 13. Which of the following is not used to stain fungal
mycelium?
a. Calcofluor white
b. Lactophenol cotton blue
c. Carbolfuchsin
d. Periodic acid-Schiff. Answer: c. Carbolfuchsin
◉ 12. The dye used to stain Mycobacterium is:
a. Methylene blue
,b. Crystal violet
c. Carbolfuchsin
d. Iodine. Answer: c. Carbolfuchsin
◉ CHAPTER 5
1. The automated principle that utilizes a spectrophotometer to
detect changes in color is:
a. Colorimetry
b. Nephelometry
c. Turbimetry
d. Fluorometry. Answer: a. Colorimetry
◉ 2. Which of the following is not a fully automated identification
system for microbiology?
a. MicroScan
b. VITEK
c. Enterotube
d. Phoenix. Answer: c. Enterotube
◉ 3. Which of the following systems uses nephelometry for
the identification of microorganisms?
a. Phoenix
, b. VITEK
c. MicroScan
d. None of the above. Answer: a. Phoenix
◉ 4. To detect antibody production to a particular infectious
agent, the acute phase specimen should be collected:
a. When the disease is first suspected
b. When the disease is first diagnosed
c. While the patient is recovering
d. While the patient is relapsing. Answer: a. When the disease is first
suspected
◉ 5. An acute phase specimen for the detection of
antibody to cytomegalovirus yielded a titer of 1:8.
The convalescent phase specimen yielded a titer
of 1:32. This is diagnostic for a current infection of
cytomegalovirus.
a. True
b. False. Answer: a. True
◉ 6. Febrile agglutinins are an example of ___ in
which bacterial antigens aggregate in the presence of
7 2026 PRACTICE TEST QUESTIONS WITH
EXEMPLAR ANSWERS
◉ 2. The function of the is to gather and focus
light rays on the specimen.
a. Objective
b. Iris diaphram
c. Condenser
d. Ocular. Answer: c. Condenser
◉ 3. Darkfield microscopy is most often used to study:
a. Fungi
b. Mycobacteria
c. Parasitic nuclei
d. Spirochetes. Answer: d. Spirochetes
◉ 9. The typical morphology of Staphylococcus is:
a. Cocci in chains
b. Cocci in clusters
c. Filamentous bacilli
,d. Coccibacilli. Answer: b. Cocci in clusters
◉ 10. In the Gram stain technique, Gram's iodine functions as
the:
a. Primary stain
b. Mordant
c. Decolorizer
d. Counterstain. Answer: b. Mordant
◉ 11. Gram-positive bacteria stain blue to purple.
a. True
b. False. Answer: a. True
◉ 13. Which of the following is not used to stain fungal
mycelium?
a. Calcofluor white
b. Lactophenol cotton blue
c. Carbolfuchsin
d. Periodic acid-Schiff. Answer: c. Carbolfuchsin
◉ 12. The dye used to stain Mycobacterium is:
a. Methylene blue
,b. Crystal violet
c. Carbolfuchsin
d. Iodine. Answer: c. Carbolfuchsin
◉ CHAPTER 5
1. The automated principle that utilizes a spectrophotometer to
detect changes in color is:
a. Colorimetry
b. Nephelometry
c. Turbimetry
d. Fluorometry. Answer: a. Colorimetry
◉ 2. Which of the following is not a fully automated identification
system for microbiology?
a. MicroScan
b. VITEK
c. Enterotube
d. Phoenix. Answer: c. Enterotube
◉ 3. Which of the following systems uses nephelometry for
the identification of microorganisms?
a. Phoenix
, b. VITEK
c. MicroScan
d. None of the above. Answer: a. Phoenix
◉ 4. To detect antibody production to a particular infectious
agent, the acute phase specimen should be collected:
a. When the disease is first suspected
b. When the disease is first diagnosed
c. While the patient is recovering
d. While the patient is relapsing. Answer: a. When the disease is first
suspected
◉ 5. An acute phase specimen for the detection of
antibody to cytomegalovirus yielded a titer of 1:8.
The convalescent phase specimen yielded a titer
of 1:32. This is diagnostic for a current infection of
cytomegalovirus.
a. True
b. False. Answer: a. True
◉ 6. Febrile agglutinins are an example of ___ in
which bacterial antigens aggregate in the presence of
