WGU D311 MICROBIOLOGY 2026 CORE EXAM MANUAL
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS MARKED A+
✔✔How can microorganisms evade the immune system ? - ✔✔Antigenic variation,
bacteria produce capsules, acid fast bacterium produce waxy substances/ mycolic acid
✔✔Influenza virus - ✔✔Dz: influenza
attach: Hemagglutinin/ sialic acid of resp intestinal cells
✔✔Herpes simplex virsus - ✔✔Dz: oral/genital herpes
attach: Glycoproteins gab, gC, gD. Heparin sulfate on mucosal surfaces of mouth and
genitals
✔✔human immunodeficiency virus - ✔✔Dz: HIV
attach: Glycoprotein gp 120- CD4 and CCR5 or CXCR4 of immune system cells
✔✔antigentic shift - ✔✔A MAJOR change in the antigentic structure of the causal agent
due to the recombination of the genetic material from two different strains of the causal
agent. More dangerous
✔✔Antigenic drift - ✔✔Minor change in influenza virus antigens due to gene mutation
✔✔Virulence factors for Candida albicans (fungus) - ✔✔Surface glycoprotein.
invades proteases, keratinase, and phospholipase
cause oral thrush and vaginal yeast infection
✔✔Virulence factor for cryptococcus (fungus) - ✔✔Capsule made of
glucuronoxylomannan
cause pneumonia and meningitis
✔✔Virulence factors for claviceps (fungus) - ✔✔Ergot toxin (myocotoxins)
grows on rye/grains
cause gangrene and convulsive
✔✔Virulence factors for aspergillus (fungus) - ✔✔Myocotoxin Aflatoxin- carcinogen
enters body thru contaminated food or inhalation
✔✔Myocotoxins - ✔✔Fungal toxins/ poisonous
can be toxic when they eat, absorbed into the skin or inhaled. Can cause death.
✔✔Virulence factor of Giardia lamblia (protozoan) - ✔✔Large adhesion disk uses
flagella to draw fluid out that lowers pressure = facilitate adhesion
intestinal disease
, ✔✔Virulence factor Plasmodium falciparum (protozoan) - ✔✔Antigenic variation.
Adhesion membrane protein called PfEMP1. RBC stick together stop blood flow
malaria
✔✔Virulence factor Trypanosoma Brucei (protozoan) - ✔✔Capsules and antigenic
variations
African Sleeping Sickness
✔✔Virulence factors with Helminths - ✔✔Parasitic worms
large and evade immune system
roundworms protected by tough outer cuticle
glycan "Gimmickry" resembles host cells, immune system fails to recognize the attack
suppress immune system or make the immune system respond inappropriately
✔✔Bacteremia - ✔✔bacteria in the blood
✔✔septicemia - ✔✔growth of bacteria in the blood and multiplying
✔✔Viremia - ✔✔viruses in the blood
✔✔Toxemia - ✔✔toxins in the blood
✔✔Exoenzymes - ✔✔Produced by pathogens that enable them to invade host cells and
deeper tissues
✔✔function of glycohydrolases (exoenzymes) - ✔✔Degrades hyaluronic acid that
cements cells together to promote spreading through tissues
Ex: Hyaluronidase S in staph aureus
✔✔Function of nucleuses (exoenzyme) - ✔✔Degrade DNA released by dying cells that
can trap bacteria = spreading
Ex: DNAse produced by S. aureus
✔✔Function of phospholipases (exoenzyme) - ✔✔Degrade phospholipid bilayer of host
cells= phagosomes escape into the cytoplasm
Ex: Phospholipase C of bacillus anthracis
✔✔Function of proteases (exoenzyme) - ✔✔Degrades collagen in connective tissue to
promote spread
Ex: Collagenase in Clostridium perfringens
✔✔Collagenase - ✔✔Exoenzyme that has metal ion, digest collagen
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS MARKED A+
✔✔How can microorganisms evade the immune system ? - ✔✔Antigenic variation,
bacteria produce capsules, acid fast bacterium produce waxy substances/ mycolic acid
✔✔Influenza virus - ✔✔Dz: influenza
attach: Hemagglutinin/ sialic acid of resp intestinal cells
✔✔Herpes simplex virsus - ✔✔Dz: oral/genital herpes
attach: Glycoproteins gab, gC, gD. Heparin sulfate on mucosal surfaces of mouth and
genitals
✔✔human immunodeficiency virus - ✔✔Dz: HIV
attach: Glycoprotein gp 120- CD4 and CCR5 or CXCR4 of immune system cells
✔✔antigentic shift - ✔✔A MAJOR change in the antigentic structure of the causal agent
due to the recombination of the genetic material from two different strains of the causal
agent. More dangerous
✔✔Antigenic drift - ✔✔Minor change in influenza virus antigens due to gene mutation
✔✔Virulence factors for Candida albicans (fungus) - ✔✔Surface glycoprotein.
invades proteases, keratinase, and phospholipase
cause oral thrush and vaginal yeast infection
✔✔Virulence factor for cryptococcus (fungus) - ✔✔Capsule made of
glucuronoxylomannan
cause pneumonia and meningitis
✔✔Virulence factors for claviceps (fungus) - ✔✔Ergot toxin (myocotoxins)
grows on rye/grains
cause gangrene and convulsive
✔✔Virulence factors for aspergillus (fungus) - ✔✔Myocotoxin Aflatoxin- carcinogen
enters body thru contaminated food or inhalation
✔✔Myocotoxins - ✔✔Fungal toxins/ poisonous
can be toxic when they eat, absorbed into the skin or inhaled. Can cause death.
✔✔Virulence factor of Giardia lamblia (protozoan) - ✔✔Large adhesion disk uses
flagella to draw fluid out that lowers pressure = facilitate adhesion
intestinal disease
, ✔✔Virulence factor Plasmodium falciparum (protozoan) - ✔✔Antigenic variation.
Adhesion membrane protein called PfEMP1. RBC stick together stop blood flow
malaria
✔✔Virulence factor Trypanosoma Brucei (protozoan) - ✔✔Capsules and antigenic
variations
African Sleeping Sickness
✔✔Virulence factors with Helminths - ✔✔Parasitic worms
large and evade immune system
roundworms protected by tough outer cuticle
glycan "Gimmickry" resembles host cells, immune system fails to recognize the attack
suppress immune system or make the immune system respond inappropriately
✔✔Bacteremia - ✔✔bacteria in the blood
✔✔septicemia - ✔✔growth of bacteria in the blood and multiplying
✔✔Viremia - ✔✔viruses in the blood
✔✔Toxemia - ✔✔toxins in the blood
✔✔Exoenzymes - ✔✔Produced by pathogens that enable them to invade host cells and
deeper tissues
✔✔function of glycohydrolases (exoenzymes) - ✔✔Degrades hyaluronic acid that
cements cells together to promote spreading through tissues
Ex: Hyaluronidase S in staph aureus
✔✔Function of nucleuses (exoenzyme) - ✔✔Degrade DNA released by dying cells that
can trap bacteria = spreading
Ex: DNAse produced by S. aureus
✔✔Function of phospholipases (exoenzyme) - ✔✔Degrade phospholipid bilayer of host
cells= phagosomes escape into the cytoplasm
Ex: Phospholipase C of bacillus anthracis
✔✔Function of proteases (exoenzyme) - ✔✔Degrades collagen in connective tissue to
promote spread
Ex: Collagenase in Clostridium perfringens
✔✔Collagenase - ✔✔Exoenzyme that has metal ion, digest collagen
