Microbiology and Infectious Diseases Quiz

A spirochete bacterium that causes louse-borne relapsing fever in humans. It is transmitted by the human body louse (Pediculus humanus corporis).

A condition where a person is infested with head lice, body lice, or pubic lice.

The human body louse, a parasite that transmits Borrelia recurrentis, causing relapsing fever in humans.

The human body louse is a vector of epidemic typhus (Rickettsia prowazekii), trench fever (Bartonella quintana) and relapsing fever (Borrelia recurrentis).

The cycle of symptoms in relapsing fever, where the fever and other symptoms appear, disappear, and reappear again at intervals.

Relapsing fever is often accompanied by severe symptoms, including severe jaundice (yellowing of skin), mental changes, bleeding, and an abnormal ECG pattern.

Relapsing fever is transmitted when an infected louse bites a person and the organism enters through mucous membranes or skin abrasions.

Relapsing fever is most common in crowded and unsanitary living conditions where hygiene is poor. Outbreaks occur during war, natural disasters, and in prisons.

An inflammation of the conjunctiva (membrane lining the inner surface of the eyelid and covering the sclera) commonly occurring in newborns and preventable with silver nitrate or antibiotic treatment.

Inflammation and scarring within the fallopian tubes, potentially leading to infertility, caused by untreated gonorrhea spreading from the cervix into the pelvic area.

A species of bacteria causing various infections, especially among hospitalized patients, often found in water, sewage, and soil.

The ability of Acinetobacter to thrive on various surfaces, making them a common source of hospital-acquired infections.

Inflammation of the urethra, the tube that carries urine from the bladder to the outside of the body.

Inflammation of the prostate gland, often caused by bacterial infection.

Inflammation of the testicles, often caused by bacterial infection.

A bacterial infection of the rectum, which can also occur in individuals engaged in anal sex.

Acinetobacter is a genus of bacteria known for its ability to break down various pollutants, including hydrocarbons, pesticides, and heavy metals. They contribute to bioremediation by detoxifying contaminated environments.

Acinetobacter can utilize pollutants like biphenyl, chlorinated biphenyl, and phenol as energy sources, breaking them down to less harmful substances.

Enterobacteriaceae is a family of bacteria commonly found in the intestines of humans and other animals, as well as in water and soil. They are often rod-shaped, gram-negative, and capable of fermenting sugars.

Members of Enterobacteriaceae are typically rod-shaped, gram-negative, and have the ability to ferment sugar, producing lactic acid and other byproducts.

Many Enterobacteriaceae are facultative anaerobes, meaning they can survive with or without oxygen.

Enterobacter, a genus within Enterobacteriaceae, is known to cause opportunistic infections, particularly in immunocompromised individuals.

Endotoxins are released by dead bacterial cells and can cause systemic infection, leading to endotoxic shock, which can be fatal.

Escherichia, a common fecal coliform, is another example of a bacterium within the Enterobacteriaceae family.

Salmonella bacteria are killed by heat, perishing after an hour at 55°C (131°F) or half an hour at 60°C (140°F).

To ensure Salmonella destruction, food should be heated for at least 10 minutes at 75°C (167°F) so that the center reaches this temperature.

Typhoid fever, caused by Salmonella Typhi, is characterized by a gradual fever reaching 40°C (104°F), sweating, and stomach problems.

Typhoid fever, untreated, progresses in four stages, each lasting about a week.

Mary Mallon, nicknamed "Typhoid Mary", was the first asymptomatic carrier of Salmonella Typhi in the US, infecting 53 people, with 3 deaths, while working as a cook.

Sources include contaminated food, poor kitchen hygiene, excretions from infected individuals or animals, polluted water, and unhygienically thawed poultry.

Salmonella bacteria can survive for weeks in dry environments and months in water, often contaminating water sources.

Birds and reptiles, especially aquatic turtles, are key carriers of Salmonella bacteria.

E. coli is a type of bacteria that normally lives in the human gut and helps with digestion. It is a facultative anaerobe, meaning it can live with or without oxygen.

E. coli can cause food poisoning, especially if you eat unwashed vegetables or undercooked meat. A serious strain called O157:H7 can cause severe complications like kidney failure.

E. coli can produce toxins that cause diarrhea. These toxins can be heat-stable (not destroyed by heat) or heat-labile (destroyed by heat).

Fecal coliforms are bacteria that are found in feces. Their presence in water can indicate contamination with human or animal waste.

ETEC strains cause diarrhea, especially in children in developing countries. They don't invade the gut lining, but produce toxins that cause watery diarrhea.

EPEC strains can cause diarrhea by attaching to the lining of the intestines and altering the cells. This can lead to changes in the gut that cause diarrhea.

EIEC strains cause diarrhea similar to shigellosis. This type of E. coli infects the colon and causes inflammation and bloody diarrhea.

EHEC strains can cause severe diarrhea with blood and abdominal cramps. This type of E. coli is often associated with outbreaks from contaminated food, especially undercooked meat.

A bacterium commonly found in poultry, cattle, and sheep, often contaminating food like milk, meat, and sometimes cracked eggs.

A type of bacteria that specifically causes dysentery in humans and apes.

A bacterial genus commonly found in fresh and saltwater environments, with some species causing illness in humans.

A powerful neurotoxin naturally found in certain marine creatures like Pufferfish. Produced by bacteria of the Vibrionaceae family.

The causative agent of cholera, a serious diarrheal disease.

A disease characterized by severe watery diarrhea and dehydration, caused by the bacterium Vibrio cholerae.

The primary route of transmission for cholera is through contaminated food and water, often due to poor sanitation.

Seafood like oysters and mussels can become contaminated with Vibrio cholerae, posing a risk of infection.