Deck 17: Neisseria Species and Moraxella Catarrhalis

Question 1

Why do Thayer-Martin and Martin-Lewis media have antibiotics added?

A) To permit the growth of Neisseria spp., Mycoplasma spp., and Ureaplasma spp., because these organisms use the antibiotics as growth factors
B) To allow the growth of gram-negative rods
C) To allow the growth of gram-positive rods
D) To prevent overgrowth of normal florae

Answer 1

D
Cultivation of Neisseria gonorrhoeae requires the use of chocolate agar,but this enriched medium also supports the growth of many other organisms found as commensal in specimens collected for recovery of gonococci.To prevent overgrowth of the normal florae and to enhance the recovery of the pathogenic species,a selective medium containing inhibitors (antibiotics)for gram-negative and gram-positive organism and yeast is added.

Question 2

If a Gram stain of urethral discharge from a male has more than four polymorphonuclear leukocytes per field but no bacteria,what organism is suspected of causing the infection?

A) Neisseria meningitidis
B) Chlamydia trachomatis
C) N. gonorrhoeae
D) C. pneumoniae

Answer 2

B
A Gram stain with more than five polymorphonuclear neutrophils per field but no bacteria may suggest nongonococcal urethritis with organisms such as C.trachomatis or Ureaplasma urealyticum.

Question 3

If a male is infected with Neisseria gonorrhoeae,what would be the results of a Gram stain of purulent discharge from his urethra?

A) Many polymorphonuclear white blood cells, some with gram-negative intracellular diplococci and gram-negative diplococci
B) Many mononuclear white blood cells, gram-negative cocci
C) Few white blood cells, many red blood cells, and gram-negative rods
D) Many polymorphonuclear white blood cells, some gram-negative intracellular rods, and gram-negative rods

Answer 3

A
Because the urethral discharge from a male infected with N.gonorrhoeae is purulent,that means there are many white blood cells in the discharge.Demonstration of gram-negative intracellular diplococci,appearing as kidney or coffee bean shaped,from a symptomatic male with discharge correlates at a rate of 95% with culture and is evidence of gonococcal infection.

Question 4

To which category does Neisseria spp.belong?

A) Facultatively anaerobic
B) Capnophilic
C) Anaerobic
D) Facultatively aerobic

Question 5

All Neisseria spp.are generally all of the following EXCEPT:

A) Motile
B) Aerobic
C) Oxidase positive
D) Catalase positive

Question 6

What Neisseria spp.can be found as part of the transient flora of the upper respiratory tract?

A) Neisseria gonorrhea
B) N. catarrhalis
C) N. sicca
D) N. meningitidis

Question 7

What does blood-borne dissemination of Neisseria gonorrhoeae usually result in?

A) Pharyngitis
B) Meningitis
C) Purulent arthritis
D) Pelvic inflammatory disease

Question 8

A microbiologist is reading CTA sugars from a vaginal culture that grew an oxidase-positive,gram-negative cocci.Only the glucose tube is yellow.What is the organism?

A) Neisseria meningitidis
B) N. sicca
C) N. gonorrhoeae
D) N. lactamica

Question 9

What disease can newborns acquire through a birth canal infected with Neisseria gonorrhoeae?

A) Conjunctivitis
B) Ophthalmia neonatorum
C) Ophthalmitis
D) Blindness

Question 10

How should a specimen for Neisseria gonorrhoeae be transported to the laboratory?

A) Placed in the paper swab cover and transported to the laboratory at the end of the day
B) Placed in a bacterial transport and transported to the laboratory at the end of the day
C) Placed in a tube of broth and transported to the laboratory immediately
D) Placed in Amies with charcoal transport system and transported to the laboratory immediately

Question 11

What is a major cause of pelvic inflammatory disease in women?

A) Untreated gonococcal cervicitis
B) Untreated meningococcal cystitis
C) Treated gonococcal cervicitis
D) Treated meningococcal cystitis

Question 12

How are Neisseria gonorrhoeae infections transmitted?

A) Sexual contact
B) Contaminated food
C) Respiratory droplet
D) Spores

Question 13

A microbiologist reading genital cultures on a Martin-Lewis plate should look for what colonial morphology if Neisseria gonorrhoeae is suspected?

A) Large, white, creamy
B) Small, tan, translucent
C) Small, white, transparent
D) Small, rough, transparent

Question 14

If a female is symptomatic,what are the symptoms of Neisseria gonorrhoeae infection in women?

A) Endometriosis and pelvic inflammatory disease
B) Diarrhea and endometriosis
C) Purulent arthritis and dysuria
D) Vaginal discharge and dysuria

Question 15

The virulence factors for Neisseria spp.include all the following EXCEPT:

A) Capsule
B) Endotoxin
C) Pili
D) Exotoxin

Question 16

What type of swab should be used for a Neisseria gonorrhoeae culture?

A) Cotton
B) Calcium alginate
C) Dacron
D) Flax

Question 17

What is the common manifestation of Neisseria gonorrhoeae infection in men?

A) Painful ejaculation and prostatitis
B) Purulent discharge and dysuria
C) Dysuria and prostatitis
D) Purulent discharge and painful ejaculation

Question 18

Gonococcal infections occur primarily in all the following sites EXCEPT:

A) Urethra
B) Endocervix
C) Uterus
D) Anal canal

Question 19

Under what conditions should inoculated plates for Neisseria gonorrhoeae culture be incubated?

A) 35° C and 3% to 5% carbon dioxide
B) 25° C and room air
C) 35° C and room air
D) 25° C and 3% to 5% carbon dioxide

Question 20

What is the specimen of choice in males for genital infections?

A) Urine
B) Throat culture
C) Purulent discharge
D) Stool

Question 21

What is the name of the condition in which there is hemorrhage in the adrenal glands?

A) Waterhouse-Friderichsen syndrome
B) Leventhal-Stall
C) Waldenström's
D) Niemann-Pick

Question 22

A microbiologist receives cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)in the laboratory and does a Gram stain on it.Much to her surprise,she sees intracellular and extracellular gram-negative diplococci.What is the most likely organism?

A) Neisseria gonorrhoeae
B) N. meningitidis
C) N. lactamica
D) N. sicca

Question 23

The symptoms of meningococcal meningitis include all of the following EXCEPT:

A) Frontal headache
B) Stiff neck
C) Backache
D) Fever

Question 24

Nonpathogenic commensal Neisseria spp.include all the following EXCEPT:

A) Neisseria lactamica
B) N. meningitidis
C) N. mucosa
D) N. polysaccharea

Question 25

A technician is reading CTA sugars.The maltose and glucose tubes are positive.What organism produces acid in these two tubes?

A) Neisseria gonorrhoeae
B) N. sicca
C) N. lactamica
D) N. meningitidis

Question 26

All of the following include disadvantages of nucleic acid probes for Neisseria gonorrhoeae EXCEPT:

A) Lesser sensitivity than cervical cultures in females
B) Not approved for pharyngeal or rectal specimens
C) Do not allow for recovery of an organism to be used for antimicrobial susceptibility testing
D) Are able to identify all N. gonorrhoeae isolates, including beta-lactamase-positive strains

Question 27

What media should be used to isolate Neisseria meningitidis?

A) Differential and nonselective
B) Specific and nonspecific
C) Selective and nonselective
D) Enriched and nonenriched

Question 28

What organism is a commensal of the upper respiratory tract and has become an opportunistic pathogen causing upper respiratory tract infections in otherwise healthy children and the elderly?

A) Moraxella catarrhalis
B) Neisseria lactamica
C) N. sicca
D) N. gonorrhoeae

Question 29

What are the two types of antibiotics recommended for treatment of uncomplicated gonococcal infections?

A) Cephalosporins and fluoroquinolones
B) Penicillins and macrolides
C) Aminoglycosides and fluoroquinolones
D) Cephalosporins and penicillins

Question 30

A young adult goes to the emergency room complaining of headache,dizziness,stiff neck,and purpura with a petechial skin rash.What two tests should the physician immediately perform?

A) Skin scraping and pupil dilation
B) Genital and throat culture
C) Urine and blood culture
D) Blood and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) culture

Question 31

How is Neisseria meningitidis spread?

A) Contaminated food
B) Respiratory droplets
C) Airborne
D) Blood borne