Question 1

All of the following statements agree with the germ theory of disease,except:

Accepted Answer

This statement is incorrect as it goes against the germ theory of disease which states that diseases are caused by microorganisms and do not spontaneously arise from decaying matter.

Question 2

Vaccines are:

Accepted Answer

Vaccines are preparations that establish immunity to a disease by introducing a weakened or dead version of the pathogen into the body or a part of it, which stimulates the immune system to produce specific antibodies against the pathogen. These antibodies will then provide protection if the individual is exposed to the live pathogen at a later time.

Question 3

What discovery was crucial to the founding of the field of microbiology?

Accepted Answer

Microscopes which allowed for the direct observation of microbes were crucial to the founding of the field of microbiology. This allowed scientists to see and study microorganisms, leading to discoveries about their role in infectious diseases and their importance in fields such as medicine and agriculture.

Question 4

Because viruses could not be visualized using conventional microscopes further progress required the development of techniques for isolating,propagating and analyzing viruses. All of the following are true EXCEPT:

Accepted Answer

Viral DNA has the same structure as DNA discovered by Watson and Crick, which is a double helix structure.

Question 5

Microbes live in us,on us and nearly everywhere around us. Which of the following activities are microbes involved in?

Accepted Answer

Microbes are involved in decomposing dead organisms, aiding the digestive processes of grazing animals, and some even capture energy from the sun through photosynthesis. Thus, option D, "All of the above," is the correct choice.

Question 6

A parasitologist studies parasites. What does a mycologist study?

Accepted Answer

Mycologists study fungi.

Question 7

While a doctor may diagnose and treat a patient who presents with a disease,an epidemiologist:

Accepted Answer

Epidemiologists study the frequency and distribution of a disease in a population, which helps in understanding the causes, risk factors, and methods of prevention and control.

Question 8

The English scientist Robert Hooke coined the term cell because the small boxes he saw in the microscope reminded him of a monk's room. What is the cell theory that was later proposed?

Accepted Answer

The cell theory proposes that cells are the fundamental units of life, that all living organisms are composed of one or more cells, and that all cells come from preexisting cells through the process of cell division. This theory was first formulated by Matthias Schleiden and Theodor Schwann in the 1830s and 1840s and was later expanded upon by Rudolf Virchow, who proposed that all cells arise from preexisting cells.

Question 9

Before Ehrlich began a systematic search for a chemical to kill specific bacteria,the only chemotherapies available were substances derived from medicinal plants.What distinguished Ehrlich's chemotherapy research?

Accepted Answer

Ehrlich's chemotherapy research was distinguished by his systematic testing of hundreds of compounds for their ability to selectively destroy specific bacteria without harming surrounding tissue. This approach was a departure from the use of substances derived from medicinal plants, which often had unpredictable and non-specific effects on the body. Ehrlich's work laid the foundation for modern chemotherapy, which uses drugs specifically designed to target and destroy cancer cells.

Question 10

Microbiology is the study of bacteria,algae,fungi,viruses and protozoa.Most of these are single-celled,except for which two:

Accepted Answer

Algae and fungi are the only two options that include organisms with many cells, as some fungi can be multicellular. The other options either include only single-celled organisms (A and C) or include viruses, which are not technically considered living organisms and do not have cells (D).

Question 11

Which of the following statements is true about infection control?

Accepted Answer

Semmelweiss was ridiculed by physicians for his suggestion that physicians should wash their hands and adopt more sanitary practices before seeing patients. However, Semmelweiss's work eventually led to the development of infection control measures in healthcare. Option A is incorrect; Semmelweiss actually advocated for handwashing and hygiene in healthcare. Option B is incorrect; surgeries that use aseptic technique decreases the risk of surgical wound infections. Option C is incorrect; Lister introduced antiseptic techniques, which involved using bandages and disinfectants to prevent infections.

Question 12

Pasteur worked on rabies and cholera vaccine during the emergence of immunology.While culturing a chicken cholera he noted that an old culture was weakened and useful as a vaccine as it:

Accepted Answer

Pasteur noted that an old culture of chicken cholera did not cause disease symptoms but immunized against chicken cholera, making it useful as a vaccine.

Question 13

Koch's postulates were:

Accepted Answer

Koch's postulates were designed to establish a causal relationship between a causative microbe and a disease.

Question 14

Which of the following is a reason microorganisms are useful in many different research laboratories (such as ecology,biochemistry,evolution and genetics)?

Accepted Answer

Microorganisms reproduce quickly and can grow in large numbers, providing researchers with ample material for experimentation. This allows for more efficient and cost-effective research in various fields such as ecology, biochemistry, evolution, and genetics.

Question 15

Which statement about variolation is FALSE?

Accepted Answer

Variolation does not involve using chemicals from another microorganism to immunize against the disease causing microbe. Instead, it involves infecting a person with a small amount of the disease-causing microbe itself, typically by introducing dried scabs from lesions of people who had recovered from the disease.

Question 16

Louis Pasteur made several important contributions to microbiology. These included studying wine making,identifying diseases in silkworms and which of the following:

Accepted Answer

Louis Pasteur developed the first rabies vaccine, which was a significant contribution to microbiology. Pasteur also developed culture techniques, but this was not the only other important contribution he made. While Pasteur did use a swan-necked flask in his famous experiment, this was not a contribution in and of itself; rather, it was a tool he used to demonstrate his theory about the role of air in microbial growth. Finally, Pasteur did not discover a method to introduce unwanted organisms into food and wine; rather, he developed techniques to prevent the growth of unwanted organisms in these products.

Question 17

All of the following are true statements about the development of antibiotics,EXCEPT:

Accepted Answer

This statement is false. Sulfa drugs were one of the first antibiotics and proved to be useful in treating a wide range of bacterial infections. They worked by interfering with the production of folic acid, which is essential for bacterial growth. However, some bacteria developed resistance to sulfa drugs over time.

Question 18

Viruses were initially identified as small infectious agents that could pass through filters. How was it believed that these agents could survive?

Accepted Answer

It was believed that viruses could not survive on their own and instead relied on the metabolic and replicative mechanisms of the host cells they infected. This is because viruses are not considered living organisms and do not have the ability to carry out metabolic processes on their own.

Question 19

Koch developed tuberculin,which he hoped would be a vaccine against tuberculosis. Tuberculin is:

Accepted Answer

Koch developed tuberculin as a way to diagnose tuberculosis, not as a vaccine. It is administered as a skin test to check for an immune response to the bacteria that cause tuberculosis.

Question 20

What did ancient civilizations know about disease?

Accepted Answer

Ancient Mosaic laws included practices like waste burial and isolation of diseased individuals, indicating an understanding of disease prevention.

Quiz 1: Scope and History of Microbiology