Microbiology worksheet with answers

What is the purpose of pasteurising milk?

1. ATo add healthy bacteria to the milk
2. BTo kill pathogens by heating, without fully sterilising it
3. CTo remove fat from the milk
4. DTo kill all microorganisms, including bacterial spores, by heating

What is agar used for in a microbiology laboratory?

1. ATo kill bacteria on surfaces
2. BTo stain bacteria purple
3. CTo dissolve bacterial cell walls
4. DTo make culture media solid

The HPV vaccine mainly protects against:

1. AHerpes simplex infection
2. BHIV infection
3. CCervical and other cancers caused by human papillomavirus
4. DHepatitis B and liver cancer

Which virus family includes the viruses that cause cold sores and chickenpox?

1. ACoronaviruses
2. BHerpesviruses
3. CPicornaviruses
4. DRetroviruses

Which vaccine contains live attenuated (weakened) viruses?

1. ATetanus vaccine
2. BMMR (measles, mumps, rubella)
3. CInactivated influenza injection
4. DHepatitis B vaccine

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 found in healthy people as well
3. CThe organism must be visible with the naked eye
4. DThe disease must respond to antibiotics

A teenager has fever, neck stiffness and a non-blanching purple rash. CSF shows Gram-negative diplococci. Which organism is most likely?

1. ANeisseria meningitidis
2. BStreptococcus pneumoniae
3. CEscherichia coli
4. DListeria monocytogenes

Why must a negative-sense RNA virus such as influenza carry its own RNA-dependent RNA polymerase into the host cell?

1. AHost cells cannot make mRNA from an RNA template
2. BHost ribosomes cannot read any viral genes
3. CThe polymerase is needed to integrate the genome into host DNA
4. DThe polymerase protects the virus from antibodies