GS Microbiology: A Clinical Approach

Penicillin is used to treat all of the following except

Mycoplasma pneumonia
Pneumococcal pneumonia
Scarlet fever
Diphtheria
Streptococcal sore throat

Mycoplasma has no cell wall. Penicillin inhibits (bacterial) cell wall synthesis so is ineffective in treating Mycoplasma.

Correct Answer: Mycoplasma pneumonia

Pneumonia can be caused by which of the following?

Haemophilus
Legionella
Mycoplasma
Streptococcus
All the choices

Each of the listed organisms can cause the symptoms of pneumonia.

Correct Answer: All the choices

Which of the following does not produce exotoxin?

Bordetella pertussis
Corynebacterium diphtheriae
Mycobacterium tuberculosis
Streptococcus pyogenes
All of the choices

Mycobacterium tuberculosis does not produce a toxin.

Correct Answer: Mycobacterium tuberculosis

Which of the following infections can result in the formation of a pseudomembrane in the throat?

Bordetella pertussis
Corynebacterium diphtheriae
Mycobacterium tuberculosis
Streptococcus pyogenes
None of the choices

A pseudomembrane in the throat is a characteristic symptom of diphtheria, the disease caused by infection with Corynebacterium diphtheria.

Correct Answer: Corynebacterium diphtheriae

Which of the following is a leading cause of nosocomial pneumonia?

Chlamydophila pneumoniae
Corynebacterium diphtheriae
Mycobacterium tuberculosis
Pseudomonas aeruginosa
Streptococcus pyogenes

Nosocomial pneumonia is often associated with infection by Pseudomonas aeruginosa or Staphylococcus aureus. Chlamydophila pneumonia causes atypical community acquired pneumonia.

Correct Answer: Pseudomonas aeruginosa

Fungal infections of the respiratory tract are usually associated with which of the following?

Vaccination
Young children
Compromised immune system
International travel
All of the choices

Fungal infections are for the most part seen only in patients who are in some way immunocompromised. Fungi are found not only in the soil but also as resident flora of the body and any infection they could cause is usually kept in check by the adaptive immune response.

Correct Answer: Compromised immune system

Legionella is transmitted by

Foodborne transmission
Airborne droplets
Fomites
Vectors
Person-to-person contact

Transmission of the Legionella organisms occurs through airborne droplets

Correct Answer: Airborne droplets

The patient has a sore throat. Which of the following could be involved?

Bordetella
Corynebacterium
Haemophilus
Mycobacterium
All of the choices

All of the organisms listed as possible answers can cause infections in which one of the symptoms will be a sore throat.

Correct Answer: All of the choices

Mycobacterium is a problem for the host defense because it has no cell wall.

False
True

Mycobacterium is a problem for the host defence because of its unique cell wall which interferes with macrophage function and with T cell activation. It also means many antibiotics are ineffective against Mycobacterium.

Correct Answer: False

During the treatment of tuberculosis, compliance by patients can be difficult because they are too weak to concentrate.

False
True

Compliance by patients can be difficult because of the toxicity of the anti-tuberculosis drugs and the consequent side effects over the long time period they have to be taken.

Correct Answer: False

Because the symptoms of pertussis can be similar to those of a cold, many infected adults can spread the infection to places such as schools and nurseries without knowing it.

False
True

Pertussis initially presents with the same symptoms as a cold so adults often bring it into schools and nurseries without knowing.

Correct Answer: True

Is the reason given in the following statement correct or incorrect? Erythromycin is better than penicillin for treating legionellosis because Legionella has rapid protein synthesis.

False
True

Erythromycin is better for treating Legionnaires’ disease than penicillin because Legionella produces a \beta-lactamase enzyme that destroys penicillin.

Correct Answer: False

For a long time, the Pneumocystis infection was thought to be caused by a protozoan because of the shape of its nucleus and its spores.

False
True

For a long time, the Pneumocystis infection was confused with by a protozoan because of the shape of its nucleus and its spores.

Correct Answer: True

In patients with AIDS, the preferred therapy for tuberculosis is with pentamidine and trimetrexate because most of them have severe side effects with TMP-SMX therapy.

False
True

AIDS patients have severe side effects with TMP-SMX therapy.

Correct Answer: True

Because of their cone-like shape, Histoplasmosis spores are usually referred to as microconidia.

False
True

Histoplasmosis spores are usually referred to as microconidia because of their minute size.

Correct Answer: False

Chapter 21 - Self-Evaluation and Chapter Confidence

Penicillin is used to treat all of the following except

Pneumonia can be caused by which of the following?

Which of the following does not produce exotoxin?

Which of the following infections can result in the formation of a pseudomembrane in the throat?

Which of the following is a leading cause of nosocomial pneumonia?

Fungal infections of the respiratory tract are usually associated with which of the following?

Legionella is transmitted by

The patient has a sore throat. Which of the following could be involved?

Mycobacterium is a problem for the host defense because it has no cell wall.

During the treatment of tuberculosis, compliance by patients can be difficult because they are too weak to concentrate.

Because the symptoms of pertussis can be similar to those of a cold, many infected adults can spread the infection to places such as schools and nurseries without knowing it.

Is the reason given in the following statement correct or incorrect? Erythromycin is better than penicillin for treating legionellosis because Legionella has rapid protein synthesis.

For a long time, the Pneumocystis infection was thought to be caused by a protozoan because of the shape of its nucleus and its spores.

In patients with AIDS, the preferred therapy for tuberculosis is with pentamidine and trimetrexate because most of them have severe side effects with TMP-SMX therapy.

Because of their cone-like shape, Histoplasmosis spores are usually referred to as microconidia.