“120 High-Yield Microbiology MCQs for Nursing
& Medical Students (Answers Included for Self-
Practice & Assessment)”
These 120 high-yield Microbiology MCQs cover bacteriology, virology, mycology,
parasitology, immunology, and lab diagnosis—perfect for nursing, medical, and
allied health students.
Complete answer key is provided below so learners can test themselves, evaluate
performance, and prepare confidently for exams or quizzes.
,120 Microbiology MCQs (With Answers)
Set 1 — Basics of Microbiology (1–20)
1. The study of microorganisms is called:
a) Zoology b) Botany c) Microbiology d) Ecology
2. The smallest living organisms are:
a) Viruses b) Bacteria c) Protozoa d) Fungi
3. The father of microbiology is:
a) Koch
b) Pasteur
c) Leeuwenhoek
d) Jenner
4. Bacteria reproduce mainly by:
a) Budding
b) Binary fission
c) Fragmentation
d) Spore formation
5. Gram-positive bacteria appear:
a) Red
b) Pink
c) Purple
d) Colorless
6. Gram-negative bacteria have:
a) Thick peptidoglycan
b) Thin peptidoglycan
c) No cell wall
d) Only protein coat
7. The cell wall of fungi contains:
a) Cellulose
b) Chitin
c) Pectin
d) Lignin
,8. Mycoplasma lacks:
a) DNA
b) Cell membrane
c) Cell wall
d) Ribosomes
9. Example of acid-fast bacteria:
a) S. aureus
b) E. coli
c) Mycobacterium tuberculosis
d) Streptococcus pyogenes
10.Viruses replicate in:
a) Soil
b) Food
c) Living cells
d) Water
11.Example of dimorphic fungi:
a) Candida
b) Aspergillus
c) Histoplasma
d) Penicillium
12.Bacterial ribosomes are:
a) 60S
b) 80S
c) 70S
d) 30S
13.Endotoxin is found in:
a) Gram-positive
b) Gram-negative
c) Fungi
d) Viruses
14.Prions cause disease in:
a) Plants
b) Animals
c) Bacteria
d) Protozoa
,15.Sterilization destroys:
a) Only bacteria
b) Only viruses
c) Spores
d) Only fungi
16.Disinfection kills:
a) All microbes
b) Spores
c) Pathogens
d) Prions
17.Best method for sterilizing heat-sensitive items:
a) Autoclave
b) Dry heat oven
c) Filtration
d) Flaming
18.The clear zone around antibiotic disc is:
a) Growth zone
b) Culture zone
c) Hemolytic zone
d) Zone of inhibition
19.Koch’s postulates are used to:
a) Classify microbes
b) Identify pathogens
c) Prepare culture media
d) Test antibiotics
20.Flagella help in:
a) Respiration
b) Motility
c) Reproduction
d) Protein synthesis
, Set 2 — Bacteriology (21–50)
21.The most common cause of food poisoning is:
a) Salmonella
b) Staphylococcus aureus
c) Shigella
d) Vibrio cholerae
22.Diphtheria is caused by:
a) Corynebacterium diphtheriae
b) Clostridium tetani
c) Mycoplasma
d) Neisseria
23.Whooping cough organism:
a) Bordetella pertussis
b) H. influenzae
c) Klebsiella
d) E. coli
24.Lancefield classification is used for:
a) Staphylococci
b) Streptococci
c) E. coli
d) Bacillus
25.Chocolate agar is used for:
a) Vibrio
b) Neisseria
c) Staph
d) Clostridium
26.Alpha hemolysis produces:
a) Greenish zone
b) Clear zone
c) No change
d) Black zone
27.Tetanus is caused by:
a) C. welchii
b) C. tetani
, c) C. botulinum
d) C. perfringens
28.Botulism toxin causes:
a) Spastic paralysis
b) Flaccid paralysis
c) Fever
d) Rash
29.Typhoid fever organism:
a) S. typhi
b) S. aureus
c) P. aeruginosa
d) Shigella
30.Cholera causes:
a) Bloody diarrhea
b) Rice-water stool
c) Constipation
d) Vomiting only
31.Primary tuberculosis affects:
a) Brain
b) Bones
c) Lungs
d) Skin
32.Leprosy is caused by:
a) M. leprae
b) M. tuberculosis
c) M. kansasii
d) M. avium
33.UTI most common organism:
a) Candida
b) E. coli
c) Staph
d) Klebsiella
34.Gas gangrene:
a) C. botulinum
b) C. perfringens
& Medical Students (Answers Included for Self-
Practice & Assessment)”
These 120 high-yield Microbiology MCQs cover bacteriology, virology, mycology,
parasitology, immunology, and lab diagnosis—perfect for nursing, medical, and
allied health students.
Complete answer key is provided below so learners can test themselves, evaluate
performance, and prepare confidently for exams or quizzes.
,120 Microbiology MCQs (With Answers)
Set 1 — Basics of Microbiology (1–20)
1. The study of microorganisms is called:
a) Zoology b) Botany c) Microbiology d) Ecology
2. The smallest living organisms are:
a) Viruses b) Bacteria c) Protozoa d) Fungi
3. The father of microbiology is:
a) Koch
b) Pasteur
c) Leeuwenhoek
d) Jenner
4. Bacteria reproduce mainly by:
a) Budding
b) Binary fission
c) Fragmentation
d) Spore formation
5. Gram-positive bacteria appear:
a) Red
b) Pink
c) Purple
d) Colorless
6. Gram-negative bacteria have:
a) Thick peptidoglycan
b) Thin peptidoglycan
c) No cell wall
d) Only protein coat
7. The cell wall of fungi contains:
a) Cellulose
b) Chitin
c) Pectin
d) Lignin
,8. Mycoplasma lacks:
a) DNA
b) Cell membrane
c) Cell wall
d) Ribosomes
9. Example of acid-fast bacteria:
a) S. aureus
b) E. coli
c) Mycobacterium tuberculosis
d) Streptococcus pyogenes
10.Viruses replicate in:
a) Soil
b) Food
c) Living cells
d) Water
11.Example of dimorphic fungi:
a) Candida
b) Aspergillus
c) Histoplasma
d) Penicillium
12.Bacterial ribosomes are:
a) 60S
b) 80S
c) 70S
d) 30S
13.Endotoxin is found in:
a) Gram-positive
b) Gram-negative
c) Fungi
d) Viruses
14.Prions cause disease in:
a) Plants
b) Animals
c) Bacteria
d) Protozoa
,15.Sterilization destroys:
a) Only bacteria
b) Only viruses
c) Spores
d) Only fungi
16.Disinfection kills:
a) All microbes
b) Spores
c) Pathogens
d) Prions
17.Best method for sterilizing heat-sensitive items:
a) Autoclave
b) Dry heat oven
c) Filtration
d) Flaming
18.The clear zone around antibiotic disc is:
a) Growth zone
b) Culture zone
c) Hemolytic zone
d) Zone of inhibition
19.Koch’s postulates are used to:
a) Classify microbes
b) Identify pathogens
c) Prepare culture media
d) Test antibiotics
20.Flagella help in:
a) Respiration
b) Motility
c) Reproduction
d) Protein synthesis
, Set 2 — Bacteriology (21–50)
21.The most common cause of food poisoning is:
a) Salmonella
b) Staphylococcus aureus
c) Shigella
d) Vibrio cholerae
22.Diphtheria is caused by:
a) Corynebacterium diphtheriae
b) Clostridium tetani
c) Mycoplasma
d) Neisseria
23.Whooping cough organism:
a) Bordetella pertussis
b) H. influenzae
c) Klebsiella
d) E. coli
24.Lancefield classification is used for:
a) Staphylococci
b) Streptococci
c) E. coli
d) Bacillus
25.Chocolate agar is used for:
a) Vibrio
b) Neisseria
c) Staph
d) Clostridium
26.Alpha hemolysis produces:
a) Greenish zone
b) Clear zone
c) No change
d) Black zone
27.Tetanus is caused by:
a) C. welchii
b) C. tetani
, c) C. botulinum
d) C. perfringens
28.Botulism toxin causes:
a) Spastic paralysis
b) Flaccid paralysis
c) Fever
d) Rash
29.Typhoid fever organism:
a) S. typhi
b) S. aureus
c) P. aeruginosa
d) Shigella
30.Cholera causes:
a) Bloody diarrhea
b) Rice-water stool
c) Constipation
d) Vomiting only
31.Primary tuberculosis affects:
a) Brain
b) Bones
c) Lungs
d) Skin
32.Leprosy is caused by:
a) M. leprae
b) M. tuberculosis
c) M. kansasii
d) M. avium
33.UTI most common organism:
a) Candida
b) E. coli
c) Staph
d) Klebsiella
34.Gas gangrene:
a) C. botulinum
b) C. perfringens
