Deck 20: Microbial Diseases of the Nervous System and Eyes

Question 1

The optic nerves are an example of which of the following?

A) sensory nerves
B) spinal nerves
C) mixed nerves
D) motor nerves
E) synaptic nerves

Answer 1

A

Question 2

The highly destructive form of Hansenʹs disease is the result of

A) infection with rabies virus.
B) poor immune response to Mycobacterium leprae.
C) intracellular infection with Clostridium botulinum.
D) poor immune response to Streptococcus agalactiae.
E) autoimmune disease triggered by Mycobacteriu leprae.

Answer 2

B

Question 3

The Gram-negative diplococcus is resistant to phagocytosis and releases Lipid A to cause inflammation.

A) Listeria monocytogenes
B) Neisseria meningitidis
C) Streptococcus agalactiae
D) Haemophilus influenza
E) Clostridium botulinum

Answer 3

B

Question 4

Cerebrospinal fluid circulates in the to deliver nutrients to the brain and spinal cord.

A) dura mater
B) pia mater
C) subarachnoid space
D) arachnoid villi
E) cranial sinuses

Question 5

A baby arrives at an emergency room suffering from violent muscles spasms and difficulty breathing. The babyʹs body is so rigid a proper exam is difficult, but the staff note the baby is only a few weeks old and the umbilicus has not healed properly. The signs are consistent with which of the following diseases?

A) acute bacterial meningitis
B) listeriosis
C) tetanus
D) rabies
E) infant botulism

Question 6

Newborns exposed to the Gram-positive bacterium during vaginal birth are at risk of developing neonatal meningitis.

A) Listeria monocytogenes
B) Streptococcus pneumoniae
C) Streptococcus agalactiae
D) Haemophilus influenzae
E) Neisseria meningitidis

Question 7

How does tetanospasmin affect motor control?

A) It induces nervous system proteins to fold into abnormal shapes.
B) It blocks the release of inhibitory neurotransmitters in the CNS.
C) It is a pyrogenic toxin.
D) It triggers the endocytosis of skeletal muscle cells.
E) It blocks the secretion of acetylcholine into the synaptic cleft.

Question 8

Botulism toxin disrupts motor control by

A) blocking acetylcholine receptors on muscle cells.
B) killing motor neurons.
C) blocking the release of acetylcholine by motor neurons.
D) causing demyelination of motor neurons.
E) blocking inhibitory signals to motor neurons.

Question 9

Bacterial agents of meningitis which can survive phagocytosis include

A) Mycobacterium leprae.
B) Neisseria meningitidis.
C) Streptococcus pneumoniae.
D) both Neisseria meningitidis and Streptococcus pneumoniae.
E) Neisseria meningitidis, Streptococcus pneumoniae and Mycobacterium leprae.

Question 10

Functions of the meninges include

A) production of neurotransmitters.
B) protection from external shock.
C) support for the brain and spinal cord.
D) transmission of signals from the peripheral nervous system.
E) support for the brain and spinal cord and protection from external shock.

Question 11

Encephalitis is an infection of

A) neurons of the peripheral nervous system.
B) the brain.
C) the cauda equina.
D) the meninges.
E) the eye.

Question 12

The pleomorphic bacterium is an obligate parasite due to its requirement for NAD + and heme.

A) Haemophilus influenzae
B) Streptococcus agalactiae
C) Listeria monocytogenes
D) Neisseria meningitidis
E) Streptococcus pneumoniae

Question 13

Contaminated food is the source of , which causes meningitis in the elderly and susceptible persons.

A) Haemophilus influenzae
B) Listeria monocytogenes
C) Streptococcus pneumoniae
D) Streptococcus agalactiae
E) Neisseria meningitidis

Question 14

Tetanus vaccine contains

A) antibodies against Clostridium tetani.
B) inactivated tetanospasmin.
C) fragments of Clostridium tetani cell walls.
D) inactivated Clostridium tetani endospores.
E) antibodies against Clostridium tetani endospores.

Question 15

Functions of the include regulation of heart rate and respiration.

A) meninges
B) cerebellum
C) spinal cord
D) cerebrum
E) brain stem

Question 16

The type of bacterial meningitis that becomes epidemic among young adults is caused by

A) Streptococcus pneumoniae.
B) Haemophilus influenzae.
C) Neisseria meningitidis.
D) Listeria monocytogenes.
E) Streptococcus agalactiae.

Question 17

Which of the following is TRUE of foodborne botulism?

A) Large amounts of bacteria must be consumed to produce disease.
B) It is an intoxication disorder.
C) It is not a life-threatening infection even when left untreated.
D) Normal food preparation methods can prevent it.
E) An effective vaccine is available.

Question 18

The Gram-positive diplococcus is commonly found in the pharynx but may invade the central nervous system inside cells where it survives after endocytosis.

A) Streptococcus pneumoniae
B) Haemophilus influenzae
C) Listeria monocytogenes
D) Streptococcus agalactiae
E) Neisseria meningitidis

Question 19

Which of the following diseases is the result of a bacterial infection of peripheral nerves?

A) Hansenʹs disease
B) tetanus
C) botulism
D) rabies
E) acute bacterial meningitis

Question 20

Some microbes gain access to the normally axenic central nervous system by

A) axonal transport from infected peripheral neurons.
B) infecting lymph nodes in the cranium.
C) damaging the blood-brain barrier.
D) infecting macrophages which subsequently enter the CNS.
E) either damaging the blood-brain barrier or by axonal transport from infected peripheral neurons.

Question 21

One summer, bird watchers and zookeepers in a major city notice that more birds than usual are dying. At the same time reports of human encephalitis cases increase sharply. The cerebrospinal fluid of human patients is clear. Similar enveloped RNA virus particles are detected in samples from both birds and humans. Which of the following might be responsible for this outbreak?

A) rabies virus
B) Neisseria meningitidis
C) Cryptococcus neoformans
D) coxsackie A virus
E) an arbovirus

Question 22

Variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease can be prevented by avoiding

A) consumption of contaminated meat.
B) contact with mosquitoes.
C) consumption of undercooked meat.
D) contact with bird droppings.
E) contaminated waterways.

Question 23

An intracellular parasite primarily transmitted as an STD is the agent of , which may cause enough damage to result in blindness.

A) cryptococcal meningitis
B) primary amebic meningoencephalopathy
C) trachoma
D) tetanus
E) rabies

Question 24

Listeria monocytogenes pathogenesis is directly related to its ability to

A) produce a powerful toxin.
B) live and reproduce inside its hostʹs cells.
C) produce a polysaccharide capsule.
D) form endospores.
E) resist most antimicrobial agents.

Question 25

The disease known as cryptococcal meningitis

A) is transmitted in respiratory aerosols.
B) begins as a lung infection.
C) results from exposure to bird droppings.
D) is caused by a Gram-negative coccus.
E) results from exposure to bird droppings and begins as a lung infection.

Question 26

The least common type of polio is

A) minor polio.
B) nonparalytic polio.
C) paralytic polio.
D) an asymptomatic infection.
E) postpolio syndrome.

Question 27

Which of the following causes of viral meningitis is transmitted by the fecal-oral route?

A) California encephalitis virus
B) equine encephalitis virus
C) rabies
D) West Nile virus
E) echovirus

Question 28

African sleeping sickness is fatal if not treated because the parasite

A) produces a non-immunogenic toxin the immune system cannot neutralize.
B) reproduces so fast there is no time for an immune response to develop.
C) is an intracellular parasite in RBCʹs, where they are not detected by the immune system.
D) produces a toxin which binds irreversibly to neurons.
E) evades destruction by the immune system by changing surface antigens.

Question 29

A child is brought to the hospital with a high fever, nausea, and vomiting, and complaining of headache. The cerebrospinal fluid collected by spinal tap is cloudy and contains spherical cells which stain Gram-positive. These signs and symptoms are consistent with

A) tetanus resulting from infection with Clostridium botulinum.
B) primary amebic encephalitis caused by Naegleria.
C) bacterial meningitis probably due to Streptococcus.
D) aseptic meningitis from infection with Neisseria meningitidis.
E) cryptococcal meningitis due to infection with Cryptococcus neoformans.

Question 30

The condition known as ʺpinkeyeʺ may be the result of infection with

A) Haemophilus influenzae.
B) Clostridium botulinum.
C) Trypanosoma brucei.
D) Acanthamoeba.
E) Chlamydia trachomatis.

Question 31

Viral meningitis is also called ʺaseptic meningitisʺ

A) to distinguish it from encephalitis.
B) because it is frequently a nosocomial infection.
C) since it is treatable with antiviral medications.
D) to indicate no bacteria are involved.
E) because it is vaccine-preventable.

Question 32

Slow deterioration of muscle function occurring over many years occurs in

A) leprosy.
B) West Nile encephalitis.
C) African sleeping sickness.
D) postpolio syndrome.
E) minor polio.

Question 33

Which of the following is classified as a spongiform encephalopathy?

A) Hansenʹs disease
B) arboviral encephalitis
C) variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease
D) botulism
E) African sleeping sickness

Question 34

Which of the following statements concerning rabies is FALSE?

A) All mammals can serve as a reservoir for the disease.
B) It is caused by an ssRNA virus.
C) Transmission is usually via a bite from a rabid animal.
D) Bats are the source of most cases of rabies in humans.
E) Treatment includes vaccination.

Question 35

Nasal or ocular contact with water containing may result in primary amebic meningoencephalitis.

A) Acanthamoeba
B) Trypanosoma brucei
C) Naegleria
D) both Acanthomoeba and Naegleria
E) Acanthamoeba, Naegleria and Trypanosoma brucei

Question 36

Poliovirus is most often transmitted via

A) droplets.
B) endospores.
C) contaminated water.
D) household pets.
E) mosquitoes.

Question 37

Which of the following causes of meningitis can be spread by the fecal-oral route?

A) West Nile virus
B) Haemophilus influenzae
C) Streptococcus agalactiae
D) coxsackie A virus
E) Streptococcus pneumoniae

Question 38

Rodents are the natural hosts for the virus that causes

A) Venezuelan equine encephalitis.
B) Eastern equine encephalitis.
C) Western equine encephalitis.
D) West Nile encephalitis.
E) St. Louis encephalitis.

Question 39

Which of the following nervous system diseases is treated with both passive and active immunization?

A) rabies
B) arboviral encephalitis
C) West Nile encephalitis
D) primary amebic meningoencephalopathy
E) botulism

Question 40

A young man is experiencing fever and severe headaches, and is having difficulty staying awake. He reports having spent time in Africa on a missionary trip several months ago. Recently he spent time in a park where he went swimming in the lake and was bitten by a bat he attempted to catch. His cerebrospinal fluid is nearly clear, and contains long, slender, mobile cells. This description indicates infection with

A) rabies virus.
B) Acanthamoeba.
C) Neisseria meningitidis.
D) an enterovirus.
E) Trypanosoma brucei.

Question 41

The presence of (cocci/diplococci/coccobacilli/streptococci) in the CSF is consistent with infection with Listeria monocytogenes. (Describe the appearance of the cells.)

Question 42

Trypanosoma brucei infections are characterized by cyclic waves of parasitemia that occur roughly every 7 to 10 days.

Question 43

The form of botulism known as (foodborne/infant/wound) is an intoxication disorder.

Question 44

The illustration is of a Gram-negative bacterium frequently responsible for meningitis. What virulence factor(s) of the bacterium is/are illustrated?

A) a membrane containing LOS
B) a capsule
C) fimbriae
D) a capsule and fimbriae
E) a capsule, fimbriae, and a membrane containing LOS

Question 45

Fungi rarely infect the central nervous system.

Question 46

Small subcutaneous hemorrhages called (macules/petechiae) are sometimes present in cases of meningitis.

Question 47

Infant botulism is the result of (inhalation/ingestion/inoculation) of bacterial endospores.)

Question 48

Naturally-occurring poliomyelitis has occurred as recently as 2007 in the Americas.

Question 49

Viral meningitis is usually more serious than bacterial meningitis.

Question 50

The only natural hosts for infection with the microbe Mycobacterium leprae are humans and (armadillos/birds/pigs).

Question 51

A diagnostic indicator of bacterial meningitis is (clear/milky/dark) cerebrospinal fluid (CSF).

Question 52

Clostridium botulinum can grow in the intestinal tracts of both infants and adults.)

Question 53

Cryptococcal meningitis can affect both healthy and immunocompromised individuals.

Question 54

Tetanospasmin blocks the release of stimulatory neurtransmitters.

Question 55

When a strong T cell immune response against Mycobacterium leprae fails to develop, (lepromatous/tuberculoid) leprosy results.

Question 56

The neurotoxins of Clostridium botulinum produce (paralysis/spasms/weakness) by interfering with acetylcholine secretion.

Question 57

Horses and humans are considered ʺdead-endʺ hosts for arboviruses.

Question 58

Human diploid cell vaccine is used to prevent polio.)

Question 59

Rabies is a rare zoonosis in humans but common in many other species of mammal.

Question 60

Children in the United States are vaccinated with the (IPV/OPV) to prevent polio. (Use all uppercase in your answer.)

Question 61

Compare and contrast the pathogenicity of Clostridium botulinum and Clostridium tetani, including mechanisms of action of their toxins and disease manifestations.

Question 62

Negri bodies are a characteristic microscopic finding in the diagnosis of (encephalitis/leprosy/rabies).

Question 63

The presence of the pathogen in the blood called (bacteremia/parasitemia/viremia) is a defining feature of African sleeping sickness.

Question 64

Discuss the two types of poliovirus vaccines available, including the advantages and disadvantages of each.

Question 65

Contact lens solution, swimming pools, and dialysis units can be a source of a fatal nervous system disease caused by (amoeba/fungi/trypanosomes).

Question 66

Cryptococcus appears to inhibit phagocytic killing mechanisms by the production of (leukocidin/listeriolysin/melanin).

Question 67

Spongiform encephalopathy diseases develop as a result of infection with (parasites/prions/rabies).

Question 68

A one-year-old child is brought to the hospital with high fever and limited range of motion of the head. The child frequently rubs her head. A recent history is not immediately available due to a language barrier on the part of the parent. The attending physician suspects meningitis and orders a sample of CFS be collected. Describe the various diagnoses possible based on the results with the CSF.

Question 69

Compare and contrast African sleeping sickness and primary amebic meningoencephalopathy.

Question 70

The condition called (conjunctivitis/keratitis/trachoma) is the result of infection of the cornea.

Question 71

Describe the pathogenesis associated with Trypanosoma brucei that makes it impossible for infected individuals to become immune to the pathogen.