Microbiology worksheet with answers

What is a pandemic?

1. AAn epidemic that spreads across several countries or continents
2. BA disease that is always present at a low, stable level in a region
3. CAn outbreak limited to one hospital ward
4. DA single case of a rare disease

What is the main function of bacterial flagella?

1. AAttachment to host cells
2. BProtection against drying out
3. CStorage of nutrients
4. DMovement

What is an antigen?

1. AA type of white blood cell
2. BA drug that blocks bacterial growth
3. CA molecule that the immune system recognises
4. DA protein made by plasma cells to fight infection

Cholera causes profuse "rice-water" diarrhoea. What is the most important treatment?

1. AStopping all oral fluid intake so that the bowel can rest and recover
2. BReplacing fluid and salts by oral or intravenous rehydration
3. CAntiviral drugs
4. DAntifungal drugs

Which statement is one of Koch's postulates?

1. AThe organism must cause the same disease when introduced into a healthy susceptible host
2. BThe organism must be visible with the naked eye
3. CThe disease must respond to antibiotics
4. DThe organism must be found in healthy people as well

Transfer of bacterial genes from one bacterium to another by a virus is called:

1. AConjugation
2. BTransduction
3. CTransformation
4. DTranscription

A patient taking high-dose immunosuppressive drugs after a transplant is due for vaccinations. Which vaccine type is generally avoided?

1. AInactivated whole-virus vaccines
2. BLive attenuated vaccines
3. CSubunit vaccines
4. DToxoid vaccines

The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of an antibiotic is:

1. AThe lowest concentration that kills 99.9% of the bacterial inoculum in vitro
2. BThe plasma level at which side effects begin
3. CThe lowest concentration that prevents visible bacterial growth in vitro
4. DThe highest dose a patient can tolerate