Deck 28: Mycoplasma and Ureaplasma

Question 1

Mycoplasma spp. and Ureaplasma spp. differ from other bacteria in that they

A) permanently lack a cell wall.
B) demonstrate the ability to gain and lose their cell wall.
C) can be Gram stained when they possess a cell wall.
D) b and c.

Answer 1

permanently lack a cell wall.

Question 2

Ureaplasma spp. and Mycoplasma spp. are unique in their requirement for ________________ to maintain their cell membrane.

A) arginine
B) sterols
C) glucose
D) urea

Answer 2

sterols

Question 3

Which of the following virulence factors accounts for Mycoplasma pneumoniae's ability to injure the respiratory mucosal epithelial cells?

A) The specialized attachment tip
B) Adhesions produced
C) Production of hydrogen peroxide
D) Development of cold agglutinins

Answer 3

Production of hydrogen peroxide

Question 4

The production of cold agglutinins with infection by Mycoplasma pneumoniae is due to

A) activation of T and B cells.
B) adhesions produced by the organism.
C) the production of hydrogen peroxide.
D) an autoimmue response.

Question 5

Which of the following organisms is associated with nongonococcal urethritis?

A) Mycoplasma hominis
B) M. genitalium
C) Ureaplasma urealyticum
D) b and c
E) All of the above

Question 6

Which of the following organisms may cause bacteremia after genitourinary manipulations?

A) Mycoplasma pneumoniae
B) M. hominis
C) M. genitalium
D) Ureaplasma urealyticum

Question 7

Medium incorporated with serum, arginine, penicillin, and a pH indicator is used in the growth and detection of

A) Ureaplasma urealyticum.
B) Mycoplasma pneumoniae.
C) M. hominis.
D) all of the above.
E) b and c.

Question 8

Cultural methods have proven to be insensitive for the recovery of

A) Ureaplasma urealyticum.
B) Mycoplasma pneumoniae.
C) M. hominis.
D) b and c.

Question 9

Commercial blood culture medium is not recommended for recovery of Mycoplasma spp. due to

A) the small volume of blood used.
B) the slow growth of the organisms.
C) inhibition of the organisms by SPS.
D) the fact that the organisms do not survive in liquid medium.

Question 10

Given the colony on A-8 agar provided in the image, what was the original source of the specimen cultured?
Source: CDC and Dr. Francis Forrester

A) Sputum
B) Blood
C) Urine
D) Amniotic fluid

Question 11

SP-4 medium is inoculated with a specimen. After incubation, it turns yellow due to the presence of a member of the class Mollicutes. The original specimen was probably

A) bronchoalveolar lavage.
B) placenta.
C) blood.
D) kidney stone.

Question 12

Ureaplasma spp. can be presumptively identified on A-8 agar by its

A) ability to hydrolyze urea.
B) granular colony.
C) ability to hydrolyze arginine.
D) a and b.
E) b and c.

Question 13

What is the method of choice for performance of susceptibility for Mycoplasma spp. and Ureaplasma spp.?

A) Agar dilution
B) Disk diffusion
C) Broth dilution
D) None of the above

Question 14

A placenta culture from a febrile 37-year-old female at delivery yields Ureaplasma spp. The physician will treat the new mother with

A) erythromycin.
B) clindamycin.
C) penicillin.
D) trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole.

Question 15

Polymerase chain reaction is ideal for direct detection of

A) Mycoplasma hominis.
B) M. pneumoniae.
C) Ureaplasma urealyticum.
D) all of the above.

Question 16

Due to the difficulty in culturing for Mycoplasma pneumoniae, the best method for detection is

A) complement fixation.
B) enzyme immunoassay.
C) polymerase chain reaction.
D) detection of cold agglutinins.

Question 17

Serological tests are not available for diagnostic purposes for

A) Mycoplasma pneumoniae.
B) M. hominis.
C) Ureaplasma urealyticum.
D) b and c.
E) a and b.

Question 18

Serologic diagnosis of infection with Mycoplasma pneumoniae can be made by

A) a single serum.
B) paired sera, drawn two weeks apart.
C) paired sera, drawn two months apart.
D) a single serum in conjunction with type O Rh-negative erythrocytes at 4°C.

Question 19

The presence of kidney stones made of struvite and calcium phosphates can be caused due to metabolic processes or infection with

A) Mycoplasma hominis.
B) M. genitalium.
C) M. fermentans.
D) Ureaplasma urealyticum.

Question 20

A 20-year-old male has blood drawn as part of his physical to play football. He tells the physician he has had a cough and sore throat for the last three weeks. In the hematology laboratory, the hematologist runs the blood sample and the results show severe anemia. To ensure the result is accurate, she warms the blood for 10 minutes and retests it. This time the red blood cell count is within the normal range. This type of reaction may be seen after infection with

A) Acholeplasma laidlawii.
B) Mycoplasma hominis.
C) M. pneumoniae.
D) M. orale.