Deck 18: Special Topic: Infectious Disease

Question 1

A virus differs from a bacterium in that a virus ________.

A) develops resistance to antibiotics
B) is not a living organism
C) causes pneumonia
D) does not have DNA or RNA

Answer 1

B

Question 2

Ringworm is caused by a(n) ________.

A) insect
B) fungus
C) bacterium
D) virus

Answer 2

B

Question 3

A camping party got lost in the wilderness for several days. They had sufficient food but misplaced their matches and could drink only the water from the clear lakes and streams in the area without boiling it. Very quickly everyone developed diarrhea that lasted the entire 8 days until they were rescued. Which type of pathogen was probably responsible?

A) protozoan
B) fungus
C) prion
D) vector

Answer 3

A

Question 4

A disease or condition with clinically distinct symptoms whose incidence has increased, especially in the past two decades, is called ________.

A) emerging
B) reemerging
C) stagnating
D) declining

Question 5

Cholera is spread by contaminated food and water. The bacterium kills by changing the permeability of the cells of the large intestine. Which therapy would give the best chance of saving a person with cholera, given the information in this chapter?

A) chemotherapy
B) radiation
C) fluid replacement
D) surgery

Question 6

A gentleman noticed a rash, forming a target-like design, on his arm. Subsequently, he developed pain and later arthritis. The bacterium that caused his condition was most likely spread by ________.

A) a mosquito
B) unprotected sex
C) uncooked food
D) a tick

Question 7

Vibrio cholerae causes Asiatic cholera. It has a corkscrew shape, so we would say it has this form.

A) clostridia
B) bacillus
C) coccus
D) spirillum

Question 8

A(n) ________ is a global outbreak of disease.

Question 9

________ are made by certain pathogens such as Staphylococcus, Salmonella, Escherichia coli, and Clostridium botulinum. These substances often travel in the bloodstream and cause disease symptoms.

Question 10

Bacteria that normally live on or in the body and prevent other bacteria from becoming too numerous are referred to as ________.

A) bacterial toxins
B) beneficial bacteria
C) pathogens
D) parasitic

Question 11

Bacteria reproduce rapidly. It is possible for a few bacteria to grow in numbers sufficient to spoil milk left out overnight. The process by which bacteria reproduce is called ________.

Question 12

Which of the following characteristics of a medicine might be effective in treating a herpes simplex (a virus, not a bacteria) infection with as little harm to the patient as possible?

A) blocking cell wall synthesis
B) stopping cilia activity
C) preventing capsid formation
D) halting membrane formation

Question 13

Infectious proteins that are heat resistant and that cannot be destroyed by ultraviolet light or most chemicals are known as ________.

Question 14

Athlete's foot is caused by a(n) ________.

A) insect
B) fungus
C) bacterium
D) virus

Question 15

________ are disease-causing organisms that invade a person's body.

Question 16

Antibiotics stop working effectively when antibiotic resistance occurs. Which of the following does not contribute to an increase in antibiotic resistance?

A) antibiotics in animal feed
B) stopping antibiotics as soon as you feel better
C) increase of good bacteria in the body
D) taking antibiotics for viral diseases

Question 17

A pathogen is a disease-causing organism, but not all pathogens are alike. Some pathogens are more dangerous than others. When describing the relative ability of a pathogen to cause disease, we are considering its ________.

A) pathogenicity
B) virulence
C) infectivity
D) emergence

Question 18

What is the most effective way of killing Staphylococcus in the food you are preparing?

A) Nothing; this organism never is spread in food.
B) Mix antibiotics in with the food.
C) Cook the food thoroughly.
D) Use a good antiseptic on the food itself before preparing it.

Question 19

Product recalls on frozen hamburger are not uncommon during any given year. The meatpacking industry can experience problems when processing centers accidentally introduce this fecal bacterium into ground meat. Which organism is commonly found to be the culprit?

A) Clostridium
B) E. coli
C) Streptococcus
D) Staphylococcus

Question 20

A(n) ________ is an animal that carries a disease from one host to another.

Question 21

In some cultures, parts of the central nervous system (e.g., brains) of cattle are popular foods. Predict the issues that might arise from this practice.

Question 22

Lyme disease is caused by a bacterium found in the bloodstream of small woodland rodents such as mice or chipmunks and also found occasionally in deer. Yet humans get this disease without coming into direct contact with either rodents or deer. Explain the concept of a biological vector, and discuss how humans contract Lyme disease.

Question 23

Given the information in this chapter, why do you suppose that the rabies virus attacks mammal nervous systems but not those of crocodiles?

Question 24

Explain how antibiotics are used to treat bacterial infections. What are some of the problems concerning the use of these drugs?

Question 25

Developers wish to build a road through an isolated area where few people have ever visited before. The proposed route is wet and warm, with many species of wild rodents and other mammals. What issues concerning disease might this route raise?

Question 26

Tetracycline antibiotics are frequently included in commercial poultry feed. Why is the practice unwise for human health in the long run?

Question 27

A new antibiotic is introduced that will destroy only organisms lacking a nuclear membrane. A dispute develops over its safety when used in people. What arguments would you use in this discussion?