ASCP Exam Questions & Answers
(Grade A+)
CHROMagar MRSA agar -
correct answer ✅can be used to distinguish Methicillin-Sensitive
Staphylococcus aureus and coagulase negative staphylococci from
Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus by the addition of
oxacillin or cephamycins. In addition, each organism will produce a
different color. MRSA will be detected by a mauve coloration of the
bacterial colonies.
A manual WBC count was performed. A TOTAL of 72 cells were
counted in 4 large mm squares of a Neubauer-ruled
hemacytometer. A 1:20 dilution was used. What is the calculated
WBC count? -
correct answer ✅3.6 x 103/µL
WBC count = (dilution ratio x # of cells counted x 10) / (# mm2 area
counted)
Then: WBC count = (20 x 72 x 10) / (4) = 3600 WBC/µL (or 3.6 x 103
WBC/µL)
Which of the following is a cause of metabolic alkalosis?
A.Late-stage Salicylate poisoning
B. Uncontrolled diabetes mellitus
,ASCP Exam Questions & Answers
(Grade A+)
C. Renal failure
D. Excessive vomiting -
correct answer ✅D. Excessive vomiting
Metabolic alkalosis -
correct answer ✅caused by several conditions, of which one is
excessive vomiting. Other causes are (1) loss of hydrogen ions in
renal acid losses that exceed acid production from cellular
metabolism, (2) disproportionate chloride loss compared with
HCO3 loss (ie, the plasma concentration of HCO3 increases upon
restriction to a smaller space of distribution), and (3) HCO3
administration (unusual because additional HCO3 is very quickly
eliminated by the kidneys).
What genotype is known to be resistant to P. vivax (malaria)
merozoites? -
correct answer ✅Fy(a-b-)
A zone of inhibition -
correct answer ✅is the area around an antibiotic-infused paper
disk that does not show any bacterial growth. The antibiotic-
impregnated on the disk will diffuse into the agar in the area
surrounding the disk. If the bacteria are sensitive to the antibiotic,
,ASCP Exam Questions & Answers
(Grade A+)
they cannot grow near the disk. The size of the zone is proportional
to how sensitive the organism is. If the organism is resistant to the
antibiotic, it will grow very close to the disk.
Resistance -
correct answer ✅is an interpretive category of a susceptibility test
that indicates the antimicrobial agent is not appropriate for
treatment.
Breakpoints -
correct answer ✅are the specific concentrations of antimicrobial
agents that differentiate the interpretations for susceptibility
testing into the sensitive, intermediate or resistant categories.
MIC -
correct answer ✅the minimum inhibitory concentration, is the
lowest concentration of an antimicrobial agent that completely
inhibits visible bacterial growth.
VDRL and RPR are examples of which type of test methodologies? -
correct answer ✅Flocculation tests are antigen-antibody tests in
which the final product is a precipitin whose visible clumps can be
, ASCP Exam Questions & Answers
(Grade A+)
seen either microscopically (VDRL) or macroscopically (RPR). Both
VDRL and RPR are serologic screening tests for syphilis.
ELISA -
correct answer ✅is an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in
which an antibody that contains an enzyme gives a visually
discerning end product as the enzyme catalyzes a given reaction.
Immunofluorescence -
correct answer ✅testing uses immobilized antigens from the test
sample and mono- or polyclonal antibodies that bind and fluoresce
if antigens are present.
Hemagglutination -
correct answer ✅is the clumping of red blood cells.
Rhnull. -
correct answer ✅have mild compensated anemia, reticulocytosis,
stomatocytosis, low hemoglobin and hematocrit, an increase in
hemoglobin F, decreased serum haptoglobin, and in some cases,
increased bilirubin. If a transfusion is needed, these patients would
require blood from another Rhnull individual.
(Grade A+)
CHROMagar MRSA agar -
correct answer ✅can be used to distinguish Methicillin-Sensitive
Staphylococcus aureus and coagulase negative staphylococci from
Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus by the addition of
oxacillin or cephamycins. In addition, each organism will produce a
different color. MRSA will be detected by a mauve coloration of the
bacterial colonies.
A manual WBC count was performed. A TOTAL of 72 cells were
counted in 4 large mm squares of a Neubauer-ruled
hemacytometer. A 1:20 dilution was used. What is the calculated
WBC count? -
correct answer ✅3.6 x 103/µL
WBC count = (dilution ratio x # of cells counted x 10) / (# mm2 area
counted)
Then: WBC count = (20 x 72 x 10) / (4) = 3600 WBC/µL (or 3.6 x 103
WBC/µL)
Which of the following is a cause of metabolic alkalosis?
A.Late-stage Salicylate poisoning
B. Uncontrolled diabetes mellitus
,ASCP Exam Questions & Answers
(Grade A+)
C. Renal failure
D. Excessive vomiting -
correct answer ✅D. Excessive vomiting
Metabolic alkalosis -
correct answer ✅caused by several conditions, of which one is
excessive vomiting. Other causes are (1) loss of hydrogen ions in
renal acid losses that exceed acid production from cellular
metabolism, (2) disproportionate chloride loss compared with
HCO3 loss (ie, the plasma concentration of HCO3 increases upon
restriction to a smaller space of distribution), and (3) HCO3
administration (unusual because additional HCO3 is very quickly
eliminated by the kidneys).
What genotype is known to be resistant to P. vivax (malaria)
merozoites? -
correct answer ✅Fy(a-b-)
A zone of inhibition -
correct answer ✅is the area around an antibiotic-infused paper
disk that does not show any bacterial growth. The antibiotic-
impregnated on the disk will diffuse into the agar in the area
surrounding the disk. If the bacteria are sensitive to the antibiotic,
,ASCP Exam Questions & Answers
(Grade A+)
they cannot grow near the disk. The size of the zone is proportional
to how sensitive the organism is. If the organism is resistant to the
antibiotic, it will grow very close to the disk.
Resistance -
correct answer ✅is an interpretive category of a susceptibility test
that indicates the antimicrobial agent is not appropriate for
treatment.
Breakpoints -
correct answer ✅are the specific concentrations of antimicrobial
agents that differentiate the interpretations for susceptibility
testing into the sensitive, intermediate or resistant categories.
MIC -
correct answer ✅the minimum inhibitory concentration, is the
lowest concentration of an antimicrobial agent that completely
inhibits visible bacterial growth.
VDRL and RPR are examples of which type of test methodologies? -
correct answer ✅Flocculation tests are antigen-antibody tests in
which the final product is a precipitin whose visible clumps can be
, ASCP Exam Questions & Answers
(Grade A+)
seen either microscopically (VDRL) or macroscopically (RPR). Both
VDRL and RPR are serologic screening tests for syphilis.
ELISA -
correct answer ✅is an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in
which an antibody that contains an enzyme gives a visually
discerning end product as the enzyme catalyzes a given reaction.
Immunofluorescence -
correct answer ✅testing uses immobilized antigens from the test
sample and mono- or polyclonal antibodies that bind and fluoresce
if antigens are present.
Hemagglutination -
correct answer ✅is the clumping of red blood cells.
Rhnull. -
correct answer ✅have mild compensated anemia, reticulocytosis,
stomatocytosis, low hemoglobin and hematocrit, an increase in
hemoglobin F, decreased serum haptoglobin, and in some cases,
increased bilirubin. If a transfusion is needed, these patients would
require blood from another Rhnull individual.
