ATI RN
foundations in microbiology test bank Questions
Question 1 of 5
The causative agent of plague is:
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The correct answer is B: Yersinia pestis. Y. pestis is the causative agent of plague, a serious infectious disease transmitted through fleas. It causes bubonic, pneumonic, and septicemic plague. Bordetella pertussis causes whooping cough, Rickettsia prowazekii causes epidemic typhus, and Treponema pallidum causes syphilis. Y. pestis is the correct answer because it is specifically associated with plague, making the other options incorrect.
Question 2 of 5
Gram-negative rods producing blue-green pigment and a fruity odor were isolated from a wound infection. What is the causative agent?
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: The correct answer is A: Pseudomonas aeruginosa. P. aeruginosa is known for producing a blue-green pigment called pyocyanin, which gives a characteristic color to the colonies. The fruity odor is due to the production of a compound called 2-aminoacetophenone by P. aeruginosa. These features are classic for P. aeruginosa and help differentiate it from other Gram-negative rods. Proteus mirabilis (B) typically does not produce blue-green pigment or fruity odor. Klebsiella pneumoniae (C) and Escherichia coli (D) also do not exhibit these specific characteristics associated with P. aeruginosa.
Question 3 of 5
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 4 of 5
A 60-year-old patient was hospitalized to the surgical department because of infection caused by blue pus bacillus (Pseudomonas aeruginosa) which is sensative to penicillin antibiotics. Indicate which of the given penicillins has marked activity to the Pseudomonas aeruginosa?
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: The correct answer is A: Carbenicillin disodium. Carbenicillin is a semisynthetic penicillin that has marked activity against Pseudomonas aeruginosa. This is due to its extended spectrum of activity and increased stability against beta-lactamases produced by Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Carbenicillin is commonly used to treat infections caused by this bacterium. Choice B: Benzylpenicillin (Penicillin G) has limited activity against Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Choice C: Methicillin is not effective against Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Choice D: Oxacillin also has limited activity against Pseudomonas aeruginosa. In summary, Carbenicillin is the correct choice due to its marked activity against Pseudomonas aeruginosa compared to the other penicillins listed.
Question 5 of 5
Which strain E. coli can cause bloody diarrhea in children similar to shigellosis
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The correct answer is B: EIEC. This strain of E. coli can cause bloody diarrhea in children similar to shigellosis due to its ability to invade and replicate within the intestinal epithelial cells, leading to inflammation and bloody stools. ETEC (A) causes watery diarrhea due to enterotoxins. EAEC (C) causes persistent diarrhea. EPEC (D) causes attaching and effacing lesions on the intestinal mucosa without invasion.