D311 WGU MICROBIOLOGY PRACTICE
REVIEW 2026 COMPLETE ELABORATED
SOLUTIONS GRADED A+
⩥ Which environment would contain microbes that are psychrophilic?
Answer: Glaciers
⩥ What is the role of nematodes in soil? Answer: They photosynthesize
and fix nitrogen.
⩥ Which eukaryote is responsible for producing antibiotics to ward off
bacterial competitors? Answer: Fungi
⩥ Which symbiotic relationship is an example of mutualism? Answer:
The relationship between humans and the Escherichia coli colonizing the
human gut
⩥ Which type of symbiotic relationship exists between the Escherichia
coli (E. coli) that inhabit the human gut and the humans who utilize the
vitamin K produced by E. coli? Answer: Mutualism
⩥ Which description of resident microbiota is true? Answer: Resident
microbiota constantly live on the human body.
,⩥ Which relationship is exhibited by intestinal Escherichia coli and their
human host? Answer: Mutualism
⩥ Which type of disease is transmitted from animals to humans?
Answer: Zoonotic diseases
⩥ Which type of disease is acquired in hospital settings? Answer:
Nosocomial diseases
⩥ Which portal of exit can expel the most viral particles? Answer:
Respiratory
⩥ Which type of disease is sickle cell anemia? Answer: Noninfectious
⩥ Which type of transmission occurs when tuberculosis is spread
through small particles expelled by a cough? Answer: Droplet
transmission
⩥ Which type of transmission occurs when pathogens are spread from
mother to child during breastfeeding? Answer: Vertical direct contact
transmission
⩥ Which type of transmission occurs when an arthropod carries a viral
pathogen inside of its body? Answer: Biological vector transmission
,⩥ Which type of transmission occurs through contact with a fomite?
Answer: Indirect contact transmission
⩥ Which infected host would be considered a passive carrier? Answer: A
healthcare professional who does not wash their hands after seeing an
infected patient
⩥ How is Giardia lamblia, the causative agent of giardiasis, transmitted?
Answer: Contaminated food or water
⩥ Which organism is the definitive host of Toxoplasma gondii? Answer:
Birds
⩥ Which disease is transmitted by animals but not arthropods? Answer:
Rabies
⩥ How can adhesins be described? Answer: Adhesins found on the
surface of pathogens bind to receptors of host cells.
⩥ Which description indicates a portal of entry? Answer: Body features
through which pathogens can enter host tissue
, ⩥ Pathogens produce proteins to prevent the fusion of the phagosome
and the lysosome (phagolysosome).Why does this virulence factor
facilitate invasion? Answer: It prevents the exposure of pathogens to
lethal digestive enzymes.
⩥ Which action refers to a secondary infection? Answer: An infection by
one pathogen enables another pathogen to cause an infection.
⩥ What differentiates signs from symptoms of disease? Answer: Signs
are measurable; symptoms are subjective.
⩥ Which procedure does a clinician use to measure a symptom? Answer:
Asking patients to rate pain on a numerical scale
⩥ During which stage of an infection does a patient feel the worst?
Answer: The period of illness stage
⩥ What defines the end of the incubation period for an infectious
disease? Answer: The appearance of nonspecific signs or symptoms of
disease
⩥ How does the epidermis help prevent infection and disease? Answer:
It provides a harsh environment for most pathogens and periodically
sheds
REVIEW 2026 COMPLETE ELABORATED
SOLUTIONS GRADED A+
⩥ Which environment would contain microbes that are psychrophilic?
Answer: Glaciers
⩥ What is the role of nematodes in soil? Answer: They photosynthesize
and fix nitrogen.
⩥ Which eukaryote is responsible for producing antibiotics to ward off
bacterial competitors? Answer: Fungi
⩥ Which symbiotic relationship is an example of mutualism? Answer:
The relationship between humans and the Escherichia coli colonizing the
human gut
⩥ Which type of symbiotic relationship exists between the Escherichia
coli (E. coli) that inhabit the human gut and the humans who utilize the
vitamin K produced by E. coli? Answer: Mutualism
⩥ Which description of resident microbiota is true? Answer: Resident
microbiota constantly live on the human body.
,⩥ Which relationship is exhibited by intestinal Escherichia coli and their
human host? Answer: Mutualism
⩥ Which type of disease is transmitted from animals to humans?
Answer: Zoonotic diseases
⩥ Which type of disease is acquired in hospital settings? Answer:
Nosocomial diseases
⩥ Which portal of exit can expel the most viral particles? Answer:
Respiratory
⩥ Which type of disease is sickle cell anemia? Answer: Noninfectious
⩥ Which type of transmission occurs when tuberculosis is spread
through small particles expelled by a cough? Answer: Droplet
transmission
⩥ Which type of transmission occurs when pathogens are spread from
mother to child during breastfeeding? Answer: Vertical direct contact
transmission
⩥ Which type of transmission occurs when an arthropod carries a viral
pathogen inside of its body? Answer: Biological vector transmission
,⩥ Which type of transmission occurs through contact with a fomite?
Answer: Indirect contact transmission
⩥ Which infected host would be considered a passive carrier? Answer: A
healthcare professional who does not wash their hands after seeing an
infected patient
⩥ How is Giardia lamblia, the causative agent of giardiasis, transmitted?
Answer: Contaminated food or water
⩥ Which organism is the definitive host of Toxoplasma gondii? Answer:
Birds
⩥ Which disease is transmitted by animals but not arthropods? Answer:
Rabies
⩥ How can adhesins be described? Answer: Adhesins found on the
surface of pathogens bind to receptors of host cells.
⩥ Which description indicates a portal of entry? Answer: Body features
through which pathogens can enter host tissue
, ⩥ Pathogens produce proteins to prevent the fusion of the phagosome
and the lysosome (phagolysosome).Why does this virulence factor
facilitate invasion? Answer: It prevents the exposure of pathogens to
lethal digestive enzymes.
⩥ Which action refers to a secondary infection? Answer: An infection by
one pathogen enables another pathogen to cause an infection.
⩥ What differentiates signs from symptoms of disease? Answer: Signs
are measurable; symptoms are subjective.
⩥ Which procedure does a clinician use to measure a symptom? Answer:
Asking patients to rate pain on a numerical scale
⩥ During which stage of an infection does a patient feel the worst?
Answer: The period of illness stage
⩥ What defines the end of the incubation period for an infectious
disease? Answer: The appearance of nonspecific signs or symptoms of
disease
⩥ How does the epidermis help prevent infection and disease? Answer:
It provides a harsh environment for most pathogens and periodically
sheds
