MICROBIOLOGY – end of session test

1. The presence of certain antibodies and antitoxins in the body, sometimes administered as
inoculations, provide immunity against specific diseases. Which one of the options
represents immunity present from birth which is randomly inherited?
A Acquired immunity
B Dead viral vaccination
C Live viral vaccination
D Natural immunity
E Passive immunity

2. When body tissues become infected they exhibit the five classic signs of inflammation, as
listed below. Which option is the last of these five signs to occur?
A Heat
B Loss of function
C Pain
D Redness
E Swelling

3. A teenage patient attends the practice with swollen, ulcerated, painful gingivae and
halitosis.= bad breath. The dentist diagnoses the condition acute necrotising ulcerative
gingivitis. Which one of the following micro-organisms is likely to have caused the infection?
A Borrelia vincentii
B Lactobacilli
C Porphyromonas gingivalis
D Streptococcus mutans
E Treponema denticola

4. Traditionally, oral cancers were linked with risk factors such as excessive alcohol intake
and tobacco usage but more recently many cases have been linked to infection with a virus.
Which one of the following options is this virus?
A Hepatitis B
B Herpes zoster
C Human immunodeficiency virus
D Human papillomavirus
E Paramyxovirus

5. When the body tissues undergo a disease process, a certain type of condition develops.
Which term correctly describes that of a shallow break in the skin or mucous membrane
which leaves a raw and painful circular base?
A Benign tumour
B Cyst
C Infection
D Malignant tumour
E Ulcer
6. When a micro-organism contaminates dental instruments, there is always the risk that the
micro-organism can cross-infect another patient. Which infection control procedure should
eliminate this risk?
A Effective hand washing
B Staff vaccination
C Sterilisation
D Use of personal protective equipment
E Use of single-use items

7. Many different lesions and conditions can occur in the oral cavity and the dental team may
be the first to suspect a serious illness in a patient. Which one of the following lesions is
considered to be premalignant, and therefore require referral?
A Aphthous ulceration
B Erythroplakia
C Herpes simplex
D Oral candidosis
E Squamous cell carcinoma

8. An elderly patient has attended the practice with poorly fitting dentures and on their removal
the palatal mucosa is diagnosed with an infection of Candida albicans. Which one of the
following medicines is likely to be prescribed for this condition?
A Amoxicillin 500°mg
B Clindamycin 150°mg
C Erythromycin 250°mg
D Fluconazole 50°mg
E Metronidazole 400°mg

9. There are many different types of bacteria which are normally present in the oral cavity.
Which one of the following is the bacterium is most likely to be associated with the early
onset of dental caries?
A Actinomyces
B Bacteroides
C Lactobacillus
D Staphylococcus
E Streptococcus

10. Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease is an infection affecting the brain tissues, with significance in
dentistry due to its potential transmission via infected pulp tissue. Which one of the
following options is the infective agent of this disease?
A Bacteria
B Fungus
C Prion
D Protozoan
E Virus
End of session test – answers

1. The presence of certain antibodies and antitoxins in the body, sometimes administered as
inoculations, provide immunity against specific diseases. Which one of the options
represents immunity present from birth which is randomly inherited?
A Acquired immunity
B Dead viral vaccination
C Live viral vaccination
D Natural immunity
E Passive immunity
The correct answer is D. Persons or animals with a natural, randomly inherited immunity to
serious and fatal diseases provide the research material for the development of vaccines,
which are then used to provide acquired immunity to the same diseases in others.

2. When body tissues become infected they exhibit the five classic signs of inflammation, as
listed below. Which option is the last of these five signs to occur?
A Heat
B Loss of function
C Pain
D Redness
E Swelling
The correct answer is B. The other four symptoms occur first and result in the loss of
function of the tissue, as it will be too painful and/or swollen to be used.

3. A teenage patient attends the practice with swollen, ulcerated, painful gingivae and
halitosis. The dentist diagnoses the condition acute necrotising ulcerative gingivitis. Which
one of the following micro-organisms is likely to have caused the infection?
A Borrelia vincentii
B Lactobacilli
C Porphyromonas gingivalis
D Streptococcus mutans
E Treponema denticola

4. Traditionally, oral cancers were linked with risk factors such as excessive alcohol intake
and tobacco usage but more recently many cases have been linked to infection with a virus.
Which one of the following options is this virus?
A Hepatitis B
B Herpes zoster
C Human immunodeficiency virus
D Human papillomavirus
E Paramyxovirus
The correct answer is D. Certain types of this virus have been linked to oral cancers,
particularly those occurring in the oropharyngeal region.

5. When the body tissues undergo a disease process, a certain type of condition develops.
Which term correctly describes that of a shallow break in the skin or mucous membrane
which leaves a raw and painful circular base?
A Benign tumour
B Cyst
 C Infection
D Malignant tumour
E Ulcer

6. When a micro-organism contaminates dental instruments, there is always the risk that the
micro-organism can cross-infect another patient. Which infection control procedure should
eliminate this risk?
A Effective hand washing
B Staff vaccination
C Sterilisation
D Use of personal protective equipment
E Use of single-use items
The correct answer is E. If items are only used on one patient before being correctly
disposed of, then any contamination due to micro-organisms cannot be passed onto another
patient.

7. Many different lesions and conditions can occur in the oral cavity and the dental team may
be the first to suspect a serious illness in a patient. Which one of the following lesions is
considered to be premalignant, and therefore require referral?
A Aphthous ulceration
B Erythroplakia
C Herpes simplex
D Oral candidosis
E Squamous cell carcinoma
The correct answer is B. Red patches on the mucous membranes of the oral cavity,
especially if adjacent to white patches, are always considered premalignant and require
referral for investigation and biopsy.

8. An elderly patient has attended the practice with poorly fitting dentures and on their removal
the palatal mucosa is diagnosed with an infection of Candida albicans. Which one of the
following medicines is likely to be prescribed for this condition
A Amoxicillin 500°mg
B Clindamycin 150°mg
C Erythromycin 250°mg
D Fluconazole 50°mg
E Metronidazole 400°mg
The correct answer is D. The patient has the fungal infection termed ‘oral thrush’ and
requires an antifungal medicine to treat the disease. The other options are all antibiotics.

9. There are many different types of bacteria which are normally present in the oral cavity.
Which one of the following is the bacterium most likely to be associated with the early onset
of dental caries?
A Actinomyces
B Bacteroides
C Lactobacillus
D Staphylococcus
E Streptococcus
The correct answer is E. Streptococcus mutans is the initial invading organism of a dental
cavity and then Lactobacillus species will eventually become established as the cavity
deepens.
 10. Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease is an infection affecting the brain tissues, with significance in
dentistry due to its potential transmission via infected pulp tissue. Which one of the
following options is the infective agent of this disease?
A Bacteria
B Fungus
C Prion
D Protozoan
E Virus
The correct answer is C. Prions are specialised proteins capable of causing infection but are not
living micro-organisms and are therefore difficult to control.