Question 1

Which of the following best describes an opportunistic pathogen?

Accepted Answer

A pathogen that only causes disease when the host's immune system is weakened.

Question 2

A patient develops a fever and rash after being exposed to a new virus. Which of the following terms best describes these observable effects?

Accepted Answer

Signs

Question 3

Which of the following scenarios is an example of vehicle transmission?

Accepted Answer

A person contracts Salmonella after eating undercooked chicken.

Question 4

Which stage of infectious disease is characterized by the elimination of the pathogen from the body and recovery of the patient?

Accepted Answer

Convalescent phase

Question 5

A hospital patient develops a urinary tract infection after catheterization. What type of infection is this?

Accepted Answer

Healthcare-associated infection (HAI)

Question 6

Which of the following is a key difference between incidence and prevalence?

Accepted Answer

Incidence measures new cases; prevalence measures all existing cases.

Question 7

Which of the following best describes a pandemic?

Accepted Answer

An epidemic that has spread to multiple countries or continents.

Question 8

A fungus lives in soil and infects humans through inhalation. In this scenario, what is the reservoir?

Accepted Answer

Soil

Question 9

Which of the following is NOT a recommended strategy to reduce healthcare-associated infections (HAIs)?

Accepted Answer

Using gloves as a substitute for hand washing

Question 10

Which of the following is an example of indirect contact transmission?

Accepted Answer

A person contracts hepatitis B from a contaminated needle.

Question 11

Which of the following best describes the role of a vector in disease transmission?

Accepted Answer

A living organism that carries a pathogen between hosts

Question 12

Which of the following is a host factor in the epidemiological triangle?

Accepted Answer

General health

Question 13

A patient is infected with a virus but does not experience any symptoms. What is the term for this type of infection?

Accepted Answer

Asymptomatic (subclinical) infection

Question 14

Which of the following is a real-world example of a noncommunicable infectious disease?

Accepted Answer

Tetanus acquired from a contaminated wound

Question 15

Which of the following statements about quarantine is TRUE?

Accepted Answer

Quarantine is most effective for diseases with short incubation periods.

Question 16

Which of the following best describes the difference between a reservoir and a source of infection?

Accepted Answer

The reservoir is where the pathogen normally lives; the source is where the infection is immediately acquired.

Question 17

Which of the following is a primary goal of epidemiology?

Accepted Answer

To describe the nature, cause, and extent of diseases in populations

Question 18

A patient stops taking antibiotics too soon during the period of decline. What is a likely consequence?

Accepted Answer

A relapse of the infection may occur.

Question 19

Which of the following is an example of a descriptive epidemiological study?

Accepted Answer

A cross-sectional survey measuring the prevalence of diabetes in a city at a single point in time.

Question 20

Which of the following is a reason why pathogens that cause latent infections are harder to eradicate?

Accepted Answer

They can remain dormant in hosts and reactivate later.

Principles of Infectious Disease and Epidemiology: Study Notes

Study Guide - Practice Questions