new.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
Difficulty: Easy
ASM Standard: 23
2. Which term refers to the study of the cause of disease?
A. epidemiology
B. etiology*
C. morbidology
D. pathology
Difficulty: Easy
ASM Standard: 23
3. Tetanus, which is caused by Clostridium tetani, is an example of which type of disease?
A. endemic
B. epidemic
C. pandemic
D. sporadic*
Difficulty: Easy
ASM Standard: 23
4. Malarial disease in Brazil is an example of which type of disease?
A. endemic*
B. epidemic
C. pandemic
D. sporadic
Difficulty: Easy
ASM Standard: 23
5. Examine the map below. The color distribution on the map is best described as which type
of disease?
Page 1 of 20
,new.OpenStax Microbiology Test Bank Chapter 16: Disease
and Epidemiology
A. endemic
B. epidemic
C. pandemic*
D. sporadic
Difficulty: Moderate
ASM Standard: 23
6. Robert Koch was the first to conclusively determine the causative agent of which disease?
A. anthrax*
B. gonorrhea
C. syphilis
D. tuberculosis
Difficulty: Easy
ASM Standard: 23
7. 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
Difficulty: Easy
ASM Standard: 23
8. Which of the following is not a notifiable disease?
Page 2 of 20
, new.OpenStax Microbiology Test Bank Chapter 16: Disease
and Epidemiology
A. giardiasis
B. gonorrhea
C. MRSA*
D. Zika
Difficulty: Moderate
ASM Standard: 23
9. John Snow developed a detailed map (the “ghost map”) to investigate the etiology of
which disease?
A. anthrax
B. botulism
C. cholera*
D. listeriosis
Difficulty: Easy
ASM Standard: 23
10. 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
Difficulty: Hard
ASM Standard: 23
11. 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
Difficulty: Easy
ASM Standard: 14, 23
12. Which type of studies gathers data from past cases to study present-day cases?
A. descriptive
B. experimental
C. perspective
D. retrospective*
Difficulty: Easy
ASM Standard: 23
Page 3 of 20
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
Difficulty: Easy
ASM Standard: 23
2. Which term refers to the study of the cause of disease?
A. epidemiology
B. etiology*
C. morbidology
D. pathology
Difficulty: Easy
ASM Standard: 23
3. Tetanus, which is caused by Clostridium tetani, is an example of which type of disease?
A. endemic
B. epidemic
C. pandemic
D. sporadic*
Difficulty: Easy
ASM Standard: 23
4. Malarial disease in Brazil is an example of which type of disease?
A. endemic*
B. epidemic
C. pandemic
D. sporadic
Difficulty: Easy
ASM Standard: 23
5. Examine the map below. The color distribution on the map is best described as which type
of disease?
Page 1 of 20
,new.OpenStax Microbiology Test Bank Chapter 16: Disease
and Epidemiology
A. endemic
B. epidemic
C. pandemic*
D. sporadic
Difficulty: Moderate
ASM Standard: 23
6. Robert Koch was the first to conclusively determine the causative agent of which disease?
A. anthrax*
B. gonorrhea
C. syphilis
D. tuberculosis
Difficulty: Easy
ASM Standard: 23
7. 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
Difficulty: Easy
ASM Standard: 23
8. Which of the following is not a notifiable disease?
Page 2 of 20
, new.OpenStax Microbiology Test Bank Chapter 16: Disease
and Epidemiology
A. giardiasis
B. gonorrhea
C. MRSA*
D. Zika
Difficulty: Moderate
ASM Standard: 23
9. John Snow developed a detailed map (the “ghost map”) to investigate the etiology of
which disease?
A. anthrax
B. botulism
C. cholera*
D. listeriosis
Difficulty: Easy
ASM Standard: 23
10. 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
Difficulty: Hard
ASM Standard: 23
11. 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
Difficulty: Easy
ASM Standard: 14, 23
12. Which type of studies gathers data from past cases to study present-day cases?
A. descriptive
B. experimental
C. perspective
D. retrospective*
Difficulty: Easy
ASM Standard: 23
Page 3 of 20
