MICR1010

Introductory Microbiology and Molecular Biology

Tutorial Questions 2016
Introduction to Medical Microbiology
1. Define the following terms:
a. Pathogenicity
b. Virulence
c. Opportunistic pathogen
d. Infection
e. Disease
f. Epidemic
g. Pandemic
h. Endemic
i. Nosocomial
j. Broad spectrum
k. Attenuation
l. Vehicle transmission
m. Vector transmission
n. Carriers
o. Reservoirs
p. Zoonosis
2. Give at least two (2) examples of microorganisms that form part of the
normal microbiota of the skin, respiratory tract, oral cavity,
gastrointestinal tract and urogenital tract
3. Outline the four biosafety levels of microbiology laboratories
4. What are the main steps taken in collecting specimens from a suspected
infected patient?
5. Give an example and property of the following:
a. General purpose
b. Enriched medium
c. Selective media
d. Differential
6. How can the antimicrobial drug susceptibility of a pathogen be
determined?
7. With named examples, list the five main action modes of antimicrobial
agents?
8. a. What is antimicrobial resistance?
b. What are some of the reasons for antimicrobial resistance?
9.

State Kochs postulates

10.
a. State four (4) reasons that may account for the increased
occurrence of an infection?
b. What are the risk factors for infection to occur?
11.
State and give microbial examples of virulence factors that may be
used by microorganisms?
12.
a. What is innate immunity?
b. What are some of the ways in which the body provides such immunity?
c. Name the four types of adaptive immunity?
13.

State the five classes of antibodies and their function

14.

Outline the six (6) obligatory steps of infection

15.
List three (3) microorganisms that may have been used in biological
warfare.