ATI RN
foundations in microbiology test bank Questions
Question 1 of 9
Examination of a smear from a chancre revealed mobile, long, spiral microorganisms with 8-12 regular coils. What is the causative agent?
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: The correct answer is A: Treponema. The characteristics described match Treponema pallidum, the causative agent of syphilis. Treponema has long, spiral shape with 8-12 regular coils. Leptospira (B) is a spirochete but has fewer coils and causes leptospirosis. Borrelia (C) is another spirochete but typically has irregular coils and causes Lyme disease. Vibrios (D) are curved rods and not spirochetes.
Question 2 of 9
Which of the following microorganisms can cause skin infections?
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The correct answer is B: All are correct. Candida albicans can cause skin infections such as candidiasis. Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus pyogenes are common bacteria that can also cause skin infections. Therefore, choice B is correct as all three microorganisms listed can cause skin infections. Choices A, C, and D are incorrect because individually, each of the microorganisms listed can cause skin infections.
Question 3 of 9
A patient with a productive cough and fever had a sputum smear revealing Gram-positive cocci in clusters. What is the most likely causative agent?
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: The correct answer is A: Staphylococcus aureus. Staphylococcus aureus is a Gram-positive cocci bacterium that forms clusters and commonly causes pneumonia with a productive cough and fever. It is frequently found in sputum smears in such cases. Streptococcus pneumoniae (B) is another common cause of pneumonia but typically appears in pairs or chains, not clusters. Neisseria meningitidis (C) is a Gram-negative diplococcus that causes meningitis, not pneumonia. Klebsiella pneumoniae (D) is a Gram-negative bacterium that can cause pneumonia but appears as Gram-negative rods, not Gram-positive cocci in clusters.
Question 4 of 9
Which of the following transport mechanisms transports water across the plasma membrane?
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Osmosis is the correct answer because it is the process by which water molecules move across a semi-permeable membrane from an area of low solute concentration to an area of high solute concentration. This movement occurs passively, driven by the concentration gradient. Facilitated diffusion (B) involves the transport of specific molecules with the help of carrier proteins, not water. Phagocytosis (C) is a process where cells engulf solid particles, not water molecules. Exocytosis (D) is the process of releasing substances from a cell by fusion of vesicles with the cell membrane, not the transport of water across the membrane.
Question 5 of 9
Which of the following diseases is considered to fall in the group II category?
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: The correct answer is C: Mumps. Group II diseases are vaccine-preventable diseases that are communicable and can cause outbreaks. Mumps fits this criteria as it is preventable through vaccination, easily transmitted through respiratory droplets, and can lead to outbreaks in communities. Anthrax (A) is a zoonotic disease, Lyme disease (B) is transmitted by ticks, and Smallpox (D) has been eradicated.
Question 6 of 9
All statements about plasmids are correct except:
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: The correct answer is C because plasmids do not encode essential bacterial properties. They are non-essential, extra-chromosomal DNA molecules that can replicate independently within bacterial cells. Plasmids mainly contain genes for antibiotic resistance, genetic transfer, and other specific functions. Choice A is correct as many plasmids do carry antibiotic resistance genes. Choice B is also accurate as plasmids are indeed smaller, circular, and exist outside the bacterial chromosome. Choice D is true as plasmids can facilitate bacterial conjugation, allowing the transfer of genetic material between bacteria.
Question 7 of 9
After consumption some tinned meat a patient had diplopia, acute headache, deglutition disorder, hard breathing, muscle weakness. The diagnosis was botulism. What factor of pathogenicity are the clinic presentations of this disease connected with?
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: The correct answer is A, Exotoxin. Botulism is caused by the exotoxin produced by Clostridium botulinum bacteria. The symptoms described - diplopia, acute headache, deglutition disorder, hard breathing, muscle weakness - are all consistent with botulism due to the neurotoxic effects of the exotoxin. The exotoxin interferes with neurotransmission at the neuromuscular junction, leading to muscle paralysis and the symptoms mentioned. The other choices (B, C, D, E) are incorrect as they do not correspond to the pathogenic mechanism of botulism and do not explain the specific clinical manifestations observed in this case.
Question 8 of 9
Poxviruses are DNA viruses that replicate in the cytoplasm.
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Step 1: Poxviruses are indeed DNA viruses, confirmed by scientific research. Step 2: Poxviruses replicate entirely in the cytoplasm, unlike most DNA viruses. Step 3: Cytoplasmic replication is a unique characteristic of poxviruses. Step 4: The replication process of poxviruses in the cytoplasm is well-documented. Step 5: Therefore, option A (TRUE) is correct, as poxviruses replicate in the cytoplasm exclusively.
Question 9 of 9
The enzyme used by bacteria to break down hydrogen peroxide is:
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The correct answer is B: Catalase. Catalase is the enzyme responsible for breaking down hydrogen peroxide into water and oxygen. This process helps protect the bacteria from oxidative damage caused by hydrogen peroxide. Amylase (A), Lipase (C), and Protease (D) are enzymes that are not involved in breaking down hydrogen peroxide. Amylase is involved in breaking down starch, Lipase breaks down lipids, and Protease breaks down proteins. Therefore, they are not the correct enzymes for the given question.