1- Handwashing is an important means of interrupting the chain

of transmission from one person to another. Infection by which

one of the following bacteria is most likely to be interrupted by
handwashing?
(A) Borrelia burgdorferi
(B) Legionella pneumophila
(C) Staphylococcus aureus
(D) Streptococcus agalactiae (group B streptococcus)
(E) Treponema pallidum

2- Vertical transmission is the transmission of organisms from

mother to fetus or newborn child. Infection by which one of the
following bacteria is most likely to be transmitted vertically?
(A) Chlamydia trachomatis
(B) Clostridium tetani
(C) Haemophilus influenzae
(D) Shigella dysenteriae
(E) Streptococcus pneumoniae

3-The cells involved with pyogenic inflammation are mainly neutrophils,

whereas the cells involved with granulomatous inflammation
are mainly macrophages and helper T cells. Infection by
which one of the following bacteria is most likely to elicit granulomatous
inflammation?
(A) Escherichia coli
(B) Mycobacterium tuberculosis
(C) Neisseria gonorrhoeae
(D) Streptococcus pyogenes
(E) Staphylococcus aureus

4-Which one of the following sets of properties of exotoxins and

endotoxins is correctly matched?
(A) Exotoxins—polypeptides; endotoxins—lipopolysaccharide
(B) Exotoxins—weakly antigenic; endotoxins—highly antigenic
(C) Exotoxins—produced only by gram-negative bacteria; endotoxins—
produced only by gram-positive bacteria
(D) Exotoxins—weakly toxic per microgram; endotoxins—highly
toxic per microgram
(E) Exotoxins—toxoid vaccines are ineffective; endotoxins—toxoid
vaccines are effective

5- Which one of the following sets consists of bacteria both of which

produce exotoxins that increase cyclic AMP within human cells?
(A) Vibrio cholerae and Corynebacterium diphtheriae
(B) Clostridium perfringens and Streptococcus pyogenes
(C) Escherichia coli and Bordetella pertussis
(D) Corynebacterium diphtheriae and Staphylococcus aureus
(E) Bacillus anthracis and Staphylococcus epidermidis

6-Which one of the following sets of bacteria produces exotoxins

that act by ADP-ribosylation?
(A) Corynebacterium diphtheriae and Escherichia coli
(B) Clostridium perfringens and Staphylococcus aureus
(C) Clostridium tetani and Bacillus anthracis
(D) Enterococcus faecalis and Mycobacterium tuberculosis
(E) Escherichia coli and Streptococcus pyogenes

7-Which of the following bacteria produce an exotoxin that inhibits

the release of acetylcholine at the neuromuscular junction?
(A) Bacillus anthracis
(B) Bordetella pertussis
(C) Clostridium botulinum
(D) Corynebacterium diphtheriae
(E) Escherichia coli

8- A 25-year-old man with abdominal pain was diagnosed with

acute appendicitis. He then had a sudden rise in temperature to
39C and a sudden fall in blood pressure. Which one of the following
is the most likely cause of the fever and hypotension?
(A) An exotoxin that ADP-ribosylates elongation factor-2
(B) An exotoxin that stimulates production of large amounts of
cyclic AMP
(C) An endotoxin that causes release of tumor necrosis factor
(D) An endotoxin that binds to class I MHC protein
(E) An exoenzyme that cleaves hyaluronic acid

9-Several biotech companies have sponsored clinical trials of a

drug consisting of monoclonal antibody to lipid A. Sepsis caused
by which one of the following sets of bacteria is most likely to be
improved following administration of this antibody?
(A) Bordetella pertussis and Clostridium perfringens
(B) Escherichia coli and Neisseria meningitidis
(C) Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Bacillus anthracis
(D) Staphylococcus epidermidis and Staphylococcus aureus
(E) Streptococcus pneumoniae and Staphylococcus aureus

10- Regarding endotoxin, which one of the following is the MOST

accurate?
(A) Endotoxin is a polypeptide, the toxic portion of which consists
of two d-alanines.
(B) Endotoxin is produced by both gram-positive cocci as well as
gram-negative cocci.
(C) Endotoxin acts by binding to class II MHC proteins and the
variable portion of the beta chain of the T-cell receptor.
(D) Endotoxin causes fever and hypotension by inducing the
release of interleukins such as interleukin-1 and tumor necrosis
factor.
(E) The antigenicity of endotoxin resides in its fatty acid side
chains.

ANSWERS
1. (C)
2. (A)
3. (B)
4. (A)
5. (C)
6. (A)
7. (C)
8. (C)
9. (B)
10. (D)