PARASITOLOGY EXAM REVIEW QUESTIONS WITH
COMPLETE SOLUTIONS
1) Which of the preservatives contains mercuric chloride?
A) 10% Formalin
B) PVA
C) SAF
D) MIF -- Answer ✔✔ B. PVA
2) Which technique is used to detect the eggs of Entrobius vermicularis?
A) Duodenal aspirate
B) Sigmoidoscopy
C) Cellophane tape prep
D) Skin Nips -- Answer ✔✔ C. Cellophane tape prep
3) There are very few procedures considered STAT in parasitology. The most obvious
situation would be
A) O & P examination for Glardiasis
B) Urine sample for Trichomonas
C) Blood films for Malaria
D) Sputum sample for larvae -- Answer ✔✔ C. Blood films for Malaria
,4) When analysis of blood smears for malaria are requested, what patient information
should be obtained?
A) Diet, Gender, Travel History
B) Age, Gender, Fever Patterns
C) Travel History, Antimalarial Medication, Date of Return to USA
D) Fever Patterns, Dietary, Age -- Answer ✔✔ C. Travel History, Antimalarial
Medication, Date of Return to USA
5) For suspected cases of blood parasites, what type of smear is best for the detection
of parasites?
A) Thick smear fixed with methanol
B) Thick smear air dried 6 hours
C) Thin smear fixed with methanol
D) Thin smear air dried 6 hours -- Answer ✔✔ B. Thick smear air dried 6 hours
6) The characteristic that most clearly differentiates cysts of Iodamoeba Butschlii from
other amebic cysts is (are..
A) Chromotoid bars with rounded ends
B) Eight nuclei with eccentrically located karyosome
C) Ingested bacteria and RBCs
D) A large glycogen vacuole -- Answer ✔✔ D. A large glycogen vacuole
7) Acanthamoeba keratitis is usually associated with
A) Contaminated medications
B) Ingestion of the trophozoites
C) Contact lens solutions & water activities while wearing lenses
D) Contaminated food and water -- Answer ✔✔ C. Contact lens solutions &
water activities while wearing lenses
8) A 25 year old man was admitted to the hospital with a severe headache, fever,
nausea and vomiting. Symptoms becan suddenly 2 days after water skiing on the
intercoastal waterway. A spinal tap revealed a purulent CSF with no bacteria. A
, motile form resembling a leukocyte was observed on direct examination of the fluid.
The most likely causative organism is.
A) Naegleria fowleri
B) Blastocystis Hominis
C) Entamoeba Histolytica
D) Balamuthia Mandrillaris -- Answer ✔✔ A. Naegleria fowleri
9) Which of these could be found in the feces of a patient complaining of abdominal
distress and foul smelling diarrhea?
A) Giardia Duodenalis
B) Chilomastix Mesnili
C) Entamoeba Nana
D) Enterobius Vermicularis -- Answer ✔✔ A. Giardia Duodenalis
10) Which of the following intestinal protozoa is not identified as a causative agent of
diarrhea?
A) Entamoeba histolytica
B) Entamoeba Coli
C) Giardia Intestinalis
D) Balantidium Coli -- Answer ✔✔ B. Entamoeba Coli
11) Which of the following causes primary amoebic meingoencephalitis?
A) Entamoeba Histolytica
B) Acanthamoeba
C) Balamuthia Mandrillaris
D) Naegleria -- Answer ✔✔ D. Naegleria
12) Amebic dysentery is caused by
A) Entamoeba histolytica
B) Entamoeba Coli
C) Endolimax Nana
D) Entamoeba Hartmanni -- Answer ✔✔ A. Entamoeba histolytica
, 13) Which of the following statements is not true about amebic trophozoites?
A) Trophozoites are delicate and motile
B) Trophozoites are resistant to the environment outside the host
C) Replication occurs in the trophozoite stage
D) Trophozoites are easily destroyed by gastric juices -- Answer ✔✔ B.
Trophozoites are resistant to the environment outside the host
14) The trophozoites of entamoeba coli
A) Have eight nuclei
B) Have a typical large nucleus and an eccentrically placed karysome with junky
cytoplasm
C) Contain ingested RBCs
D) Contain ingested bacteria -- Answer ✔✔ B. Have a typical large nucleus and
an eccentrically placed karysome with junky cytoplasm
15) The two parasitology concentration methods are designed to concentrate parasites
into small volume of fluid and remove as much fecal material as possible. Both
methods are based on;
A) Centrifugal force between parasites and the solution
B) Specific gravity between parasites and the solution
C) Laminar flow between the parasites and the solution
D) Variations between Ethyl acetate and Zinc sulfate solutions -- Answer ✔✔ B.
Specific gravity between parasites and the solution
16) What are the three modes of transmission for parasitic infections?
A) Ingestion, Contact, Vector
B) Vector, Airborne, Ingestion
C) Penetration, Contact, Vector
D) Penetration, Vector, Ingestion -- Answer ✔✔ D. Penetration, Vector,
Ingestion
COMPLETE SOLUTIONS
1) Which of the preservatives contains mercuric chloride?
A) 10% Formalin
B) PVA
C) SAF
D) MIF -- Answer ✔✔ B. PVA
2) Which technique is used to detect the eggs of Entrobius vermicularis?
A) Duodenal aspirate
B) Sigmoidoscopy
C) Cellophane tape prep
D) Skin Nips -- Answer ✔✔ C. Cellophane tape prep
3) There are very few procedures considered STAT in parasitology. The most obvious
situation would be
A) O & P examination for Glardiasis
B) Urine sample for Trichomonas
C) Blood films for Malaria
D) Sputum sample for larvae -- Answer ✔✔ C. Blood films for Malaria
,4) When analysis of blood smears for malaria are requested, what patient information
should be obtained?
A) Diet, Gender, Travel History
B) Age, Gender, Fever Patterns
C) Travel History, Antimalarial Medication, Date of Return to USA
D) Fever Patterns, Dietary, Age -- Answer ✔✔ C. Travel History, Antimalarial
Medication, Date of Return to USA
5) For suspected cases of blood parasites, what type of smear is best for the detection
of parasites?
A) Thick smear fixed with methanol
B) Thick smear air dried 6 hours
C) Thin smear fixed with methanol
D) Thin smear air dried 6 hours -- Answer ✔✔ B. Thick smear air dried 6 hours
6) The characteristic that most clearly differentiates cysts of Iodamoeba Butschlii from
other amebic cysts is (are..
A) Chromotoid bars with rounded ends
B) Eight nuclei with eccentrically located karyosome
C) Ingested bacteria and RBCs
D) A large glycogen vacuole -- Answer ✔✔ D. A large glycogen vacuole
7) Acanthamoeba keratitis is usually associated with
A) Contaminated medications
B) Ingestion of the trophozoites
C) Contact lens solutions & water activities while wearing lenses
D) Contaminated food and water -- Answer ✔✔ C. Contact lens solutions &
water activities while wearing lenses
8) A 25 year old man was admitted to the hospital with a severe headache, fever,
nausea and vomiting. Symptoms becan suddenly 2 days after water skiing on the
intercoastal waterway. A spinal tap revealed a purulent CSF with no bacteria. A
, motile form resembling a leukocyte was observed on direct examination of the fluid.
The most likely causative organism is.
A) Naegleria fowleri
B) Blastocystis Hominis
C) Entamoeba Histolytica
D) Balamuthia Mandrillaris -- Answer ✔✔ A. Naegleria fowleri
9) Which of these could be found in the feces of a patient complaining of abdominal
distress and foul smelling diarrhea?
A) Giardia Duodenalis
B) Chilomastix Mesnili
C) Entamoeba Nana
D) Enterobius Vermicularis -- Answer ✔✔ A. Giardia Duodenalis
10) Which of the following intestinal protozoa is not identified as a causative agent of
diarrhea?
A) Entamoeba histolytica
B) Entamoeba Coli
C) Giardia Intestinalis
D) Balantidium Coli -- Answer ✔✔ B. Entamoeba Coli
11) Which of the following causes primary amoebic meingoencephalitis?
A) Entamoeba Histolytica
B) Acanthamoeba
C) Balamuthia Mandrillaris
D) Naegleria -- Answer ✔✔ D. Naegleria
12) Amebic dysentery is caused by
A) Entamoeba histolytica
B) Entamoeba Coli
C) Endolimax Nana
D) Entamoeba Hartmanni -- Answer ✔✔ A. Entamoeba histolytica
, 13) Which of the following statements is not true about amebic trophozoites?
A) Trophozoites are delicate and motile
B) Trophozoites are resistant to the environment outside the host
C) Replication occurs in the trophozoite stage
D) Trophozoites are easily destroyed by gastric juices -- Answer ✔✔ B.
Trophozoites are resistant to the environment outside the host
14) The trophozoites of entamoeba coli
A) Have eight nuclei
B) Have a typical large nucleus and an eccentrically placed karysome with junky
cytoplasm
C) Contain ingested RBCs
D) Contain ingested bacteria -- Answer ✔✔ B. Have a typical large nucleus and
an eccentrically placed karysome with junky cytoplasm
15) The two parasitology concentration methods are designed to concentrate parasites
into small volume of fluid and remove as much fecal material as possible. Both
methods are based on;
A) Centrifugal force between parasites and the solution
B) Specific gravity between parasites and the solution
C) Laminar flow between the parasites and the solution
D) Variations between Ethyl acetate and Zinc sulfate solutions -- Answer ✔✔ B.
Specific gravity between parasites and the solution
16) What are the three modes of transmission for parasitic infections?
A) Ingestion, Contact, Vector
B) Vector, Airborne, Ingestion
C) Penetration, Contact, Vector
D) Penetration, Vector, Ingestion -- Answer ✔✔ D. Penetration, Vector,
Ingestion
