OpenStax Microbiology Test Bank
Chapter 16: Disease and Epidemiology
Chapter 16: Disease and Epidemiology
* = Correct answer
Multiple Choice
1. Which term refers to the study of the geographic distribution of disease and its transmission?
A. epidemiology*
B. etiology
C. morbidology
D. pathology
2. Which term refers to the study of the cause of disease?
A. epidemiology
B. etiology*
C. morbidology
D. pathology
3. Tetanus, which is caused by Clostridium tetani, is an example of which type of disease?
A. endemic
B. epidemic
C. pandemic
D. sporadic*
4. Malarial disease in Brazil is an example of which type of disease?
A. endemic*
B. epidemic
C. pandemic
D. sporadic
5. Robert Koch was the first to conclusively determine the causative agent of which disease?
A. anthrax*
B. gonorrhea
C. syphilis
D. tuberculosis
6. Which of the following most specifically describes a notifiable disease?
A. any disease caused by a prion
B. any disease of public health importance*
C. any disease that is highly infectious
D. any disease with a high ID50
7. Which of the following is not a notifiable disease?
A. giardiasis
B. gonorrhea
C. MRSA*
Page 1 of 13
, OpenStax Microbiology Test Bank
Chapter 16: Disease and Epidemiology
D. Zika
8. John Snow developed a detailed map (the “ghost map”) to investigate the etiology of which
disease?
A. anthrax
B. botulism
C. cholera*
D. listeriosis
9. Which of the following is not an example of evidence used by John Snow to determine that
cholera was being transmitted by water in London in the 1800s?
A. a high frequency of cholera cases located near a water pump on Broad Street
B. beer workers not contracting cholera because they drank beer rather than water
C. microscopic examination of water*
D. waste and sewage being dumped into the Thames River
10. Which researcher required that surgeons should use a 5% carbolic acid solution to clean
surgical tools as a way to prevent the spread of disease?
A. Alexander Fleming
B. Robert Koch
C. Joseph Lister*
D. John Snow
11. Which type of studies gathers data from past cases to study present-day cases?
A. descriptive
B. experimental
C. perspective
D. retrospective*
12. You are hired as an epidemiologist for the following study. You wish to determine if potato
salad, served at a local farmer’s market a month ago, caused an outbreak of a food-borne
illness. You specifically interview individuals who had eaten potato salad and developed the
illness, as well as individuals who ate the potato salad and did not develop illness.
Based on this description, which type of study was conducted?
A. case-control*
B. cohort method
C. cross-sectional
D. experimental
13. You wish to determine if a new drug can cure individuals with colds caused by rhinoviruses.
You invite 50 individuals to participate in the study. Using a double-blind approach, 25
individuals get a sugar pill and 25 get the test drug. Based on this description, which type of
study was conducted?
A. case-control
B. cohort method
C. cross-sectional
Page 2 of 13
Chapter 16: Disease and Epidemiology
Chapter 16: Disease and Epidemiology
* = Correct answer
Multiple Choice
1. Which term refers to the study of the geographic distribution of disease and its transmission?
A. epidemiology*
B. etiology
C. morbidology
D. pathology
2. Which term refers to the study of the cause of disease?
A. epidemiology
B. etiology*
C. morbidology
D. pathology
3. Tetanus, which is caused by Clostridium tetani, is an example of which type of disease?
A. endemic
B. epidemic
C. pandemic
D. sporadic*
4. Malarial disease in Brazil is an example of which type of disease?
A. endemic*
B. epidemic
C. pandemic
D. sporadic
5. Robert Koch was the first to conclusively determine the causative agent of which disease?
A. anthrax*
B. gonorrhea
C. syphilis
D. tuberculosis
6. Which of the following most specifically describes a notifiable disease?
A. any disease caused by a prion
B. any disease of public health importance*
C. any disease that is highly infectious
D. any disease with a high ID50
7. Which of the following is not a notifiable disease?
A. giardiasis
B. gonorrhea
C. MRSA*
Page 1 of 13
, OpenStax Microbiology Test Bank
Chapter 16: Disease and Epidemiology
D. Zika
8. John Snow developed a detailed map (the “ghost map”) to investigate the etiology of which
disease?
A. anthrax
B. botulism
C. cholera*
D. listeriosis
9. Which of the following is not an example of evidence used by John Snow to determine that
cholera was being transmitted by water in London in the 1800s?
A. a high frequency of cholera cases located near a water pump on Broad Street
B. beer workers not contracting cholera because they drank beer rather than water
C. microscopic examination of water*
D. waste and sewage being dumped into the Thames River
10. Which researcher required that surgeons should use a 5% carbolic acid solution to clean
surgical tools as a way to prevent the spread of disease?
A. Alexander Fleming
B. Robert Koch
C. Joseph Lister*
D. John Snow
11. Which type of studies gathers data from past cases to study present-day cases?
A. descriptive
B. experimental
C. perspective
D. retrospective*
12. You are hired as an epidemiologist for the following study. You wish to determine if potato
salad, served at a local farmer’s market a month ago, caused an outbreak of a food-borne
illness. You specifically interview individuals who had eaten potato salad and developed the
illness, as well as individuals who ate the potato salad and did not develop illness.
Based on this description, which type of study was conducted?
A. case-control*
B. cohort method
C. cross-sectional
D. experimental
13. You wish to determine if a new drug can cure individuals with colds caused by rhinoviruses.
You invite 50 individuals to participate in the study. Using a double-blind approach, 25
individuals get a sugar pill and 25 get the test drug. Based on this description, which type of
study was conducted?
A. case-control
B. cohort method
C. cross-sectional
Page 2 of 13
