NCLEX : Microbiology

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for NCLEX

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Example Questions

Example Question #271 : Nclex

A group of teens go on an exploration trip. Against the advice of her friends, a 15-year-old girl goes off by herself and enters a cave. She sees a bat that is unable to fly and, in an attempt to see if it is hurt, approaches it. Unfortunately, she gets bitten by the bat. Because she had been forewarned about entering the cave, she is too embarrassed to tell anybody about the bite. Besides which, the bite marks are small, so she is not concerned. A few weeks after the trip, she becomes very ill. She develops fever, headache, and fatigue. This is followed by hallucinations, seizures, and episodes of agitation. In addition, when she swallows, she has dramatic muscle spasms. She progresses to a coma and then dies.

What would be found on autopsy in her brain?

Possible Answers:

Foam cells

Russell bodies

Howell-Jolly bodies

Dohle bodies

Negri bodies

Correct answer:

Negri bodies

Explanation:

The girl contracted rabies from the bat bite. Since she did not tell anybody about the incident, appropriate prophylactic measures were not taken. The neurologic symptoms she had are all consistent with rabies infections. Rabies is also referred to as hydrophobia because of the muscle spasms that occur when swallowing. The virus which causes rabies is a member of the family of Rhabdoviridae (rhabdovirus). The virus contains a single strand of RNA. Negri bodies are cytoplasmic inclusions seen with rabies. 

Döhle bodies are seen in white blood cells with burns, infections, trauma, and some other conditions. Russell bodies are intracellular accumulations of protein. Foam cells are lipid-laden macrophages. Howell-Jolly bodies are nuclear remnants seen in red blood cells, particularly after splenectomy.

Example Question #272 : Nclex

It is 9 a.m. on a Monday morning. The nurse tells you that a 20-year-old white male has been worked into the schedule. He has told the nurse that he has had the flu over the weekend. He thought that he would get better. But now his roommate tells him that he looks yellow. In taking the history he complains of malaise, lassitude, anorexia, headache, and low-grade fever for the past week. The only good thing he reports is he doesn't want to smoke. What is your working diagnosis?

What is your working diagnosis?

Possible Answers:

Hepatitis A or B

Hepatitis A

Hepatitis A or B or C

Hepatitis B

Hepatitis non-A or non-B

Correct answer:

Hepatitis A or B or C

Explanation:

The morphologic changes in the liver are often similar for the various categories of viral agents. The liver can appear normal in size and color but is sometimes slightly edematous, enlarged, and bile-stained. On the cellular level, liver cell injury and necrosis and periportal inflammation can be seen.

Hepatitis A virus (HAV) is a small RNA virus 27 nm in diameter that can be detected in the feces during the late incubation and preicteric phase of the illness. With the onset of jaundice, antibody to HAAV (anti-HAV) becomes measurable in the serum. Initially, the level of anti-HAV antibody of the IgM class rises sharply, making it an accurate and simple diagnostic measure of HAV infections. Hepatitis A does not demonstrate a carrier state. Hepatitis B does have a carrier state.

HAV is primarily transmitted through oral ingestion of fecal contaminated material. Transmission by blood transfusion is possible, but is uncommon. HAV is commonly spread among children, or food or water contaminated by fecal matter. Undercooked shellfish may also harbor the virus.

HBV is primarily transmitted parenteral and across mucous membranes, especially by sexual intercourse. The average length of the incubation period is 120 days. HBsAg has been found in almost every body fluid from infected persons - blood, semen, saliva, tears, ascites, breast milk, urine, and even in feces.

Non-A, non-B hepatitis has been known since 1975. Non-A and Non-B viral hepatitis is now known as hepatitis C (HCV) and hepatitis E (HEV). HCV, like HBV, is transmitted primarily by the parenteral route and possibly through sexual contact. It can affect any age group, but mainly adults. Clinical features are malaise, lassitude, anorexia, headache, low-grade fever, and the loss of desire to smoke. Patients experience arthralgias, arthritis, urticaria, and transient skin rashes (the prodromal phase). In addition there may be discomfort in the right upper quadrant, usually attributed to stretching of the liver capsule.

The prodromal phase is followed by the icteric phase and the onset of jaundice. The icteric phase lasts 4 to 6 weeks. A feeling of improvement is noted. Appetite returns and the fever subsides. The icteric phase is associated with hyperbilirubinemia (both conjugated and unconjugated fractions). Recovery begins 1 to 2 weeks from the onset of jaundice and lasts from 2 to 6 weeks. Easy fatiguability is a common complaint.

Treatment including bed rest during the acute phase and a diet that is both acceptable and nutritious are the usual general measures. Prevention requires immunization for HAV as well as passive and active immunization for HBV.

Example Question #273 : Nclex

Although the usual way in which a particle enters a cell is by phagocytosis so that the particle is enclosed in a phagocytic vacuole, there are other methods of entry. If viruses enter cells by phagocytosis, they are destroyed by hydrolytic enzymes. 

How do most nonenveloped and enveloped viruses enter cells?

Possible Answers:

Pinocytosis

Phagocytosis

Neutralization

Opsonization

Endocytosis

Correct answer:

Endocytosis

Explanation:

Most viruses enter the cell using endocytosis, the invagination of the plasma membrane into smaller virus-sized depressions coated on the cytoplasmic side with a cellular protein known as clathrin. These detach from the plasma membrane and become vesicles free in the cell's cytoplasm. These vesicles fuse with acidic compartments called endosomes. Endosomes then fuse with lysosomes containing degradative enzymes to reduce the ingested molecules to small breakdown products.

Macrophages and other phagocytic cells have receptors for the Fc portion of the antibody molecule. These receptors provide a "handle" for phagocytes to bind coated particles. The coating of pathogens and foreign particles by antibodies is opsonization.

The simplest and most direct way in which antibodies can protect from pathogens or their toxic products is by binding to them, thereby blocking their access to cells that they may infect or destroy. This is known as neutralization and is important for protection against bacterial toxins and against pathogens such as viruses, which can thus be prevented from entering cells and replicating.

Phagocytosis is the ingestion of these coated pathogens or particles by macrophages or other phagocytes, followed by internalization and destruction by intracellular digestion.

Pinocytosis is the simple cellular uptake of fluid and solutes. It is a much simpler process than phagocytosis.

Example Question #81 : Microbiology

A virologist specializing in systematics, the study of relatedness of organisms, analyzed data from several studies. Which of the following pairs of viruses are most closely related?

Possible Answers:

Enteroviruses and rhinoviruses

Rhinoviruses and orbivirus

Poliovirus and orbivirus

Rotavirus and echoviruses

Enteroviruses and rotavirus

Correct answer:

Enteroviruses and rhinoviruses

Explanation:

Both the enterovirus group (which includes the poliovirus, coxsackieviruses, and echoviruses), and the Reoviridae, (which includes the reovirus, orbivirus, and rotavirus), have an RNA genome. The genomes of the enterovirus group are linear and single-stranded, whereas those of the Reoviridae are double-stranded and may be either linear or segmented.

The Picornaviridae family of viruses contains the enterovirus and the rhinoviruses, which have numerous properties in common with each other. Viruses of this family lack an envelope, and are icosahedral, with a diameter of 20nm. The genome is a single-strand RNA. The enteroviruses are stable to acid, while the rhinoviruses are acid-sensitive.

Example Question #82 : Microbiology

The only double-stranded RNA viruses belongs to the family

Possible Answers:

Picornaviridae

Retroviridae

Togaviridae

Reoviridae

Arenaviridae

Correct answer:

Reoviridae

Explanation:

Most of the families of RNA viruses infecting human consists of single strand of RNA, except the family Reoviridae. The virions in Reoviridae family consists of double stranded RNA, made up of 10-12 segments that separates them from other RNA viruses. Reoviruses are naked with icosahedral symmetry. Reoviruses replicate in the cytoplasm and are released by cell lysis. Reoviridae family is composed of eight genera including the following:

  • Orthoreovirus
  • Orbivirus
  • Rotavirus

Orthoreovirus is associated with mild upper respiratory disease, gastrointestinal infection, and biliary atresia. Orbivirus causes febrile illness accompanied by headache and myalgia. Orbivirus is the etiological agent of Colorado tick fever that is transmitted by the wood tick. Rotaviruses are implicated in epidemic diarrhea in young children.

Example Question #276 : Nclex

Which of the following is a non-enveloped RNA virus from the family Calciviridae that is associated with cholestasis?

Possible Answers:

Hepatitis E virus

Hepatitis B virus

Hepatitis A virus

Hepatitis C virus

Hepatitis D virus

Correct answer:

Hepatitis E virus

Explanation:

Hepatitis C is an enveloped icosahedral RNA virus with gene order characteristic of the family Flaviviridae. The genome of Hepatitis C is infectious and consists of a linear single stranded 9.5 kb molecule of RNA. The virus replicates in the cytoplasm. Hepatitis C is transmitted by parenteral and sexual routes. It is the most common cause of post-transfusion hepatitis. Hepatitis C is associated with acute infection, chronic liver disease, and cirrhosis. Hepatitis C viral infection may serve as a predisposing factor in primary hepatocellular carcinoma.


Hepatitis B virus is an enveloped DNA virus that is part of the Hepadnaviridae family. The genome of Hepadnaviridae family is characterized by the presence of a circular, partially double stranded DNA molecule. Hepatitis B virus consists of a icosahedral core within a closely adherent capsid that contains cellular lipid, glycoproteins, and a virus-specific surface antigen called Hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg). The virus encodes a reverse transcriptase and replicates through an RNA intermediate. Hepatitis B virus shows tropism to the liver and replicates in hepatocytes. Hepatitis B is also called serum hepatitis and is caused by a DNA virus known as hepatitis B virus. It is transmitted by parenteral or sexual routes. Hepatitis B has a longer incubation period, which is approximately 50-160 days. Onset of the disease is gradual and the infection can be acute or self-limiting or can lead to persistent viremia and chronic liver disease with immunologic complications.


The Hepatitis A virus is a naked icosahedron that is member of the Picornaviridae family. The genome of this virus is infectious and contains a single linear molecule of single stranded RNA. Hepatitis A is transmitted by feco-oral routes and was known as infectious hepatitis. The virus enters the body by ingestion and multiplies in intestinal epithelial cells. The virus then enters the circulation and invades parenchymal cells in the liver. Incubation period for Hepatitis A is 15-40 days.


Hepatitis D virus is a very small virus with tiny genome and is classified under genus Deltavirus. It is defective satellite virus and needs Hepatitis B virus as helper, i.e., it is infective only in the presence of Hepatitis B virus. The outer capsid of the virion contains Hepatitis B surface antigen, which is encoded by HBV co-infecting the same cell.


Hepatitis E virus is a naked virus, which has icosahedral capsid with surface depression. Hepatitis E virus is placed in a sole genus Hepevirus, within a new family Hepeviridae, and contains a single molecule of a single stranded RNA. Hepatitis A is transmitted by feco-oral routes and by contaminated food and water. Hepatitis E is associated with cholestasis and has a higher fatality rate in pregnant women.


Hepatitis A virus and Hepatitis E virus are not associated with the following:

  • Parenteral transmission
  • Chronic carrier state
  • Chronic hepatitis
  • Cirrhosis
  • Hepatocellular carcinoma


Hepatitis B virus, Hepatitis C virus, and Hepatitis D virus are associated with the following:

  • Parenteral transmission
  • Chronic carrier state
  • Chronic hepatitis
  • Cirrhosis
  • Hepatocellular carcinoma

Example Question #278 : Nclex

A 27-year-old woman presents to her primary care provider with upper respiratory symptoms. An examination of throat swabs and stool specimens indicates the presence of virus particles. Examination of throat swabs and stool specimens is appropriate when, which of the following viruses is suspected?

Examination of throat swabs and stool specimens is appropriate when, which of the following viruses is suspected?

Possible Answers:

Influenza

Parainfluenza

Cytomegalovirus

Papovavirus

Enterovirus

Correct answer:

Enterovirus

Explanation:

Among the respiratory viruses that can be isolated from throat secretions are influenza, parainfluenza, respiratory syncytial virus, and rhinovirus. These may also be present in nasal washes, nasopharyngeal swabs, lung biopsy, and aspirates of the lower respiratory tract. Additional respiratory viruses, which may be isolated from the stool in addition to the aforementioned locations, are the enterovirus and adenovirus. Certain viruses, which affect the central nervous system, may be isolated from throat swabs, including enterovirus. Cytomegalovirus and herpes simplex viruses are among the viruses, which also can cause CNS illness. These two also cause congenital or perinatal exanthem, in which case isolation may be made from throat swabs.

Example Question #83 : Microbiology

Which one of the following statements best describes prions?

Possible Answers:

They consist solely of a single molecule of circular RNA without a protein coat or envelope

They are protein particles that generate a strong immune response

They are infectious particles composed solely of proteins

They are composed of viral nucleic acids but cannot replicate without a helper virus

They contain host cell DNA instead of viral DNA within the capsid

Correct answer:

They are infectious particles composed solely of proteins

Explanation:

Prions are infectious particles composed solely of proteins. They are not composed of viral nucleic acids and do not need a helper virus to replicate. They do not contain host cell DNA instead of viral DNA within the capsid; they do not consist solely of a single molecule of circular RNA without a protein coat or envelope; and they are not protein particles that generate a strong immune response.

Example Question #280 : Nclex

A 32-year-old new patient presents for a routine physical exam. The patient confides that he is HIV positive; he has not sought any medical help. During examination of his oral cavity, raised areas that are whitish-tan in color with feathery appearance on his tongue are noted. Attempts to scrape the area off for sampling are unsuccessful. 

What is the most likely diagnosis?

Possible Answers:

Geographic tongue

Atrophic glossitis

Candidiasis

Hairy tongue

Hairy leukoplakia

Correct answer:

Hairy leukoplakia

Explanation:

Hairy leukoplakia may be seen in people infected with HIV and AIDS. It is characterized by raised areas that are whitish-tan in color that have a feathery appearance. It is different from candidiasis of the tongue in that hairy leukoplakia cannot be scraped off. A 'hairy tongue' is not actually due to hair growth on the tongue; it consists of elongated papillae that have the appearance of grayish-black hair to the naked eye. This condition may be caused by antibiotic use, or there may not be any reason. Atrophic glossitis (or smooth tongue) presents as having a smooth surface due to papillae loss. The loss may indicate deficiency in riboflavin, niacin, folic acid, vitamin B12, pyridoxine, or iron. A geographic tongue is a benign condition with an unknown cause; it is characterized by a map-like pattern of smooth, red areas that do not have papillae as well as rough areas that still have papillae. Although candidiasis is also common with people with AIDS and the infection also causes the tongue to have a white coating, the coat can be scraped, and a sample can be analyzed for the presence of Candida.

Example Question #81 : Microbiology

An unknown virus has been isolated in the laboratory from mouse epithelial cells, which contain reverse transcriptase. The genetic material from this virus is examined and found to contain adenine, guanine, cytosine, and uracil, but no thymine.

What can be concluded about it?

Possible Answers:

It is a retrovirus

It cannot undergo integration

It is a prion particle

It can only infect bacteria

It is a DNA virus

Correct answer:

It is a retrovirus

Explanation:

A retrovirus contains RNA as its genetic material, and uses the enzyme reverse transcriptase to convert its single stranded RNA genome into a DNA/RNA helix which is then converted to a DNA duplex. This then inserts into the host chromosome, is replicated, and eventually gives rise to single stranded RNA to be incorporated into the new viral particle. RNA and DNA have three bases in common (adenine, guanine, and cytosine) but RNA contains uracil and DNA contains thymine as the fourth base. Therefore, finding uracil in the viral genome indicates that it is an RNA containing virus. Since it contains reverse transcriptase, we can deduce that it is retrovirus.

A prion is a type of infectious agent that lacks nucleic acid, and is made up only of protein. Prion is a short form for proteinaceous infectious particle. The process of incorporating the genetic material of a virus into the host genome is known as integration. Retroviruses can undergo integration. Bacteriophages (and not retroviruses) infect bacteria only.

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