Intermediate Cycle 2006/7
Semester 1 Assessment
June 2006
Biology & Epidemiology of Disease
Duration 90 Minutes
Total Marks 40
Section A
Answer all questions in this section
PLEASE USE A SEPARATE ANSWER BOOK FOR THIS QUESTION
1. CPC 30 minutes
A 40 year old man presents to his General Practitioner with a 4 week history of a productive cough which was
associated with fever and night sweats. He has also noticed weight loss of about one stone over the same period. His
past medical history is non-contributory and his past surgical history includes an appendicectomy for appendicitis. He
is a non-smoker and social drinker. He works as a medical volunteer and has spent the previous 2 years in Africa.
On examination, he is pale and thin. His pulse and blood pressure are normal but he has a low-grade pyrexia (37.5oC).
Examination of the chest reveals an area of decreased breath sounds and dullness to percussion in the left upper lobe.
A specimen of sputum is sent to the microbiology laboratory.
, a) What is the most likely aetiological bacterial cause of his infection and why?
b) Briefly describe this bacterium’s characteristic microbiological features.
c) What tests would be performed on the sputum sample in the microbiology laboratory?
d) What factors would you consider in assessing the infectivity of this patient?
The illustration below is characteristic of this type of infection.
e) Which hypersensitivity reaction results in this inflammatory condition?
f) Name 4 other causes of this type of inflammation.
g) What characteristic form of necrosis is typical of this infection?
h) Describe changes seen on chest X-Ray below.
Semester 1 Assessment
June 2006
Biology & Epidemiology of Disease
Duration 90 Minutes
Total Marks 40
Section A
Answer all questions in this section
PLEASE USE A SEPARATE ANSWER BOOK FOR THIS QUESTION
1. CPC 30 minutes
A 40 year old man presents to his General Practitioner with a 4 week history of a productive cough which was
associated with fever and night sweats. He has also noticed weight loss of about one stone over the same period. His
past medical history is non-contributory and his past surgical history includes an appendicectomy for appendicitis. He
is a non-smoker and social drinker. He works as a medical volunteer and has spent the previous 2 years in Africa.
On examination, he is pale and thin. His pulse and blood pressure are normal but he has a low-grade pyrexia (37.5oC).
Examination of the chest reveals an area of decreased breath sounds and dullness to percussion in the left upper lobe.
A specimen of sputum is sent to the microbiology laboratory.
, a) What is the most likely aetiological bacterial cause of his infection and why?
b) Briefly describe this bacterium’s characteristic microbiological features.
c) What tests would be performed on the sputum sample in the microbiology laboratory?
d) What factors would you consider in assessing the infectivity of this patient?
The illustration below is characteristic of this type of infection.
e) Which hypersensitivity reaction results in this inflammatory condition?
f) Name 4 other causes of this type of inflammation.
g) What characteristic form of necrosis is typical of this infection?
h) Describe changes seen on chest X-Ray below.
