—Mastering Microbiology CH 14

Which of the following statements concerning pathology, infection, and disease is true?
The majority of microorganisms are pathogenic.
Microorganisms that make up the normal microbiota of an individual never cause disease.
The term infection is synonymous with the term disease.
Pathology refers to the study of structural and functional changes that occur in the body as a result of a disease.

Pathology refers to the study of structural and functional changes that occur in the body as a result of a disease.

Which of the following is an example of the symbiotic relationship known as mutualism?

Corynebacterium on the surface of the eye
saprophytic Mycobacterium of the ear
E. coli within the large intestine
a tapeworm in the gastrointestinal tract of a human

E. coli within the large intestine

Koch’s postulates established criteria for proving that a specific organism causes a specific disease. Which of the following is NOT one of the criteria given by Koch’s postulates?

The pathogen must be isolated from inoculated animals and must be different from the original organism.
The pathogen must be isolated from the diseased host and grown in pure culture.
The same pathogen must be present in every case of the disease.
The pathogen isolated from a pure culture must cause the disease in a healthy lab animal.

The pathogen must be isolated from inoculated animals and must be different from the original organism.

Which of the following is classified as a latent disease?

infectious mononucleosis
influenza
shingles
tuberculosis

shingles

A patient acquires an infection by touching a contaminated door handle. Which mode of transmission best describes this scenario?

droplet transmission
direct contact transmission
indirect contact transmission
vehicle transmission

indirect contact transmission

A dog develops a diarrheal disease after drinking water from a creek during a hike with his owner. Which of the following best describes this method of disease transmission?

vehicle transmission
vector transmission
contact transmission
There is not enough information to determine the mode of transmission.

vehicle transmission

Plague is transmitted through the bite of an infected flea. Which of the following best describes this mode of transmission?

vector transmission
vehicle transmission
direct contact transmission
indirect contact transmission

vector transmission

Which of the following is a fungal zoonosis that can be transmitted by direct contact?

ringworm
West Nile encephalitis
tapeworm
Lyme disease

ringworm

Which of the following would be an example of disease transmission via INDIRECT contact?

Mr. Smith sneezes on an airplane, and the person sitting beside him catches his cold.
A tick that is infected with Lyme disease bites a hiker, and the hiker gets Lyme disease.
A student sneezes on her test booklet. The instructor grades it and catches her cold.
A restaurant worker has diarrhea caused by Norovirus. He fails to wash his hands adequately before preparing the salad, and his customers get sick.

A student sneezes on her test booklet. The instructor grades it and catches her cold

surgical infections account for what percentage of nosocomial infections?

20%

What type of nosocomial infection is likely to arise from intravenous catheterizations?

Bacteremia

How might a patient who is not being treated with an antibiotic still be exposed to an antibiotic?

Antibiotics can be used in aerosols, thereby entering the environment.

Why are invasive procedures likely to increase the risk of nosocomial infections?

These procedures allow microbes from the skin to enter the bloodstream of the patient.

How can health care workers reduce the occurrence of nosocomial infections?

Practice more stringent aseptic techniques

How can surgeons help to limit nosocomial infections?

They should perform surgeries and invasive procedures only when absolutely necessary.

If a patient notices a healthcare worker not following suggested precautions,

they should immediately bring it to the attention of the healthcare worker.

Which of the following characteristics of a catheter should be considered, to help minimize the spread of nosocomial infections?

Single-use

Which of the following statements is true regarding hand washing?

Frequent and proper hand washing should be routinely done by patients and by healthcare workers, both prior to and after interaction.
Hand washing should be done frequently by healthcare workers.
Hand washing should be done before and after patient interaction.
Hand washing should be done frequently by patients.

Frequent and proper hand washing should be routinely done by patients and by healthcare workers, both prior to and after interaction.

Epidemiology is defined as the study of

where and when a disease occurs, and how it is transmitted.

What is the role of epidemiology?

To learn how to treat and prevent various diseases.

Expected prevalence of a disease is

the expected occurrence of a disease based on past observations.

If a disease occurs at a fairly stable rate, it is said to be

endemic

Which of the following would be considered a fomite?

A tick
A fly
Contaminated water
An infected toy

An infected toy

Which of the following would be considered a vector?

Water containing bacteria from fecal matter
Water droplets that come from a sneeze from an infected individual
Saliva that is transmitted between individuals during kissing
A fly carrying disease from fecal matter to food

A fly carrying disease from fecal matter to food

When aerosols containing pathogens spread disease from a distance of less than one meter, it is considered

airborne transmission.
contact transmission.
waterborne transmission.
vector transmission.

contact transmission.

Which of the following is considered a major category of transmission of disease?

Contact transmission
Contact, vehicle, and vector transmission
Vehicle transmission
Vector transmission

Contact, vehicle, and vector transmission

Which is an example of vehicle disease transmission?

Touching a telephone with cold viruses on its surface
The transmission of MRSA from skin to skin contact
The bite of a mosquito containing malaria
The presence of Listeria on undercooked chicken served for dinner

The presence of Listeria on undercooked chicken served for dinner

The following choices list several types of diseases, along with factors that may contribute to their emergence. Which disease and associated factor do NOT match?

Increased incidence of Lyme disease: increases in deer populations
increased incidence of malaria: global warming
spread of cholera to new regions: modern travel
emergence of avian influenza A (H5N1): use of antibiotics

emergence of avian influenza A (H5N1): use of antibiotics

As a health care worker, I am keenly aware of how important it is to avoid harming my patients. I worry about inadvertently transmitting an infectious disease to an already compromised individual. According to the CDC, what is the MOST important thing I can do to avoid this?

Wear shoe covers.
Shave my head.
Wear a lab coat.
Wash my hands before interacting with any patient.

Wash my hands before interacting with any patient

Which of the following statements about the development of infectious diseases is correct?

The period of decline is the time when the infected individual’s health rapidly deteriorates.
During the incubation period, the infected individual exhibits obvious signs of sickness.
The period of convalescence is the time during which the person regains health and fully recovers (back to the pre-disease state).
The prodromal period is characterized by very severe symptoms.

The period of convalescence is the time during which the person regains health and fully recovers (back to the pre-disease state).

Malaria is an infectious disease caused by infection with a protozoan. In certain tropical regions, malaria is constantly present. We would say that malaria is a(n) _________ disease in these regions.

endemic