1

___________________________________________________________________
SECTION 1

Each question is worth 1 mark

1. In a bacteriophage life-cycle

A. The whole phage particle enters the bacterial cell

B. Only the phage genome enters the bacterial cell
C. Only the capsid enters the bacterial cell
D. DNA phages make RNA which enters the bacterial cell
E. Maturation of new phage particles occurs after release

2. An example of a DNA oncogenic virus is

A. HTLV-1
B. HTLV-2
C. Influenza virus
D. Epstein-Barr virus
E. Poxvirus

3. When considering the multiplication of animal viruses, which of the following statements is
not true?

A. All DNA viruses replicate in the nucleus

B. All RNA viruses replicate in the cytoplasm
C. Replication of RNA genomes requires viral encoded RNA-dependent RNA
polymerase
D. Viral DNA is transcribed using host RNA polymerase
E. Enveloped viruses bud through the plasma membrane of the host cell

4. Localised areas of cellular destruction and lysis of a bacterial lawn caused by bacteriophage
infection are called

A. Plagues
B. Plaques
C. Spikes
D. Spokes
E. Colonies

5. Which of the following does not apply to enveloped viruses?

A. The envelope lipids are host derived

B. Envelopes are acquired through a process called budding
C. The envelope functions in penetration of the host cell
D. The envelope plays a role in virus specificity
E. The envelope glycoproteins are host encoded

6. A virus genome consists of plus-sense single-stranded DNA (+ss DNA). Which scheme
correctly portrays how viral mRNA is made?

A. Double-stranded DNA is made and the – strand is transcribed

B. Double-stranded DNA is made and the + strand is transcribed
C. Double-stranded DNA is made and the + strand serves as mRNA
D. The viral ss DNA serves as the mRNA
E. The viral ss DNA is copied into mRNA by reverse transcriptase
 2
___________________________________________________________________
7. Animal viral infections that can remain dormant in a host for many years are called persistent
infections

True

False

8. The exotoxin of Vibrio cholerae is classified as a(n)

A. Endotoxin
B. Entotoxin
C. Enterotoxin
D. Neurotoxin
E. Exerotoxin

9. The substance in the lipopolysaccharide of Gram negative bacteria that is responsible for the
effects of a toxin is

A. The core polysaccharide

B. Lipid A
C. The O-polysaccharide
D. The dideoxysugars
E. Peptidoglycan

10. In general, which types of infectious disease has been most successfully controlled with
antimicrobial agents?

A. Bacterial
B. Fungal
C. Protozoal
D. Viral
E. Prions

11. Leukocidins are enzymes that

A. Lyse red blood cells

B. Lyse white blood cells
C. Lyse bacterial cells
D. Destroy viruses
E. Reduce the pathogenicity of bacteria

12. Cholera toxin results in an increase in intracellular cAMP concentration

True

False

13. Which is the major secretory antibody?

A. IgA
B. IgD
C. IgE
D. IgG
E. IgM

14. In cell-mediated immunity, infected cells are lysed by perforin produced by

A. Helper T-cells
B. Cytotoxic T-cells
C. Macrophages
D. Plasma cells
E. Suppressor T-cells
 3
___________________________________________________________________
15. To be effective, most vaccines require herd immunity rates of 100%

True

False

16. Hepatitis B surface antigen vaccine is an example of a

A. Live, attenuated vaccine

B. Killed vaccine
C. Recombinant subunit vaccine
D. DNA vaccine
E. Conjugated vaccine

17. Which of the following is considered to be the most effective type of vaccine?

A. Recombinant subunit vaccine

B. Conjugated vaccine
C. Inactivated microorganisms
D. Live, attenuated microorganisms
E. DNA vaccines

18. An antimicrobial agent that acts by inhibiting bacterial cell wall synthesis is

A. Streptomycin
B. Sulfanilamide
C. Polymixin B
D. Vancomycin
E. Rifampin

19. An antimicrobial agent that acts by inhibiting bacterial protein synthesis is

A. Streptomycin
B. Sulfanilamide
C. Polymixin B
D. Vancomycin
E. Rifampin

20. The rapid spread of multiple resistance to antimicrobial drugs among bacteria is mediated by
plasmids

True

False
 4
___________________________________________________________________
SECTION 2

ANSWER EACH OF THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS

1. (a) Explain why viruses cannot replicate on environmental surfaces or in synthetic

laboratory media.

(b) Describe the different replication and transcription strategies employed by viruses with
RNA genomes.

2. Compare the life cycles of a lytic and lysogenic bacteriophage noting the similarities and
differences. What are the consequences of lysogeny for the host bacterial cell?

3. With the aid of diagrams, explain the mechanism of action of the tetanus toxin. How does this
contrast to the action of the botulism toxin?

4. With the aid of diagrams, describe the actions of cholera enterotoxin. What is the
consequence of toxin action on the affected cell?

5. With the aid of diagrams, describe the action of the diphtheria toxin. What is the
consequence of toxin action on the affected cell?

6. Phagocytosis is an important non-specific host defence against invading microorganisms.

Describe the process and give examples of how bacteria can evade phagocytosis.

7. (a) Describe how B cells, TH cells and antigen-presenting cells (APCs) cooperate to produce
immunoglobulins.

(b) How does the binding of antibody to antigen render a microorganism or toxin harmless?

8. Describe the various components of the body’s non-specific defences and discuss the
mechanisms by which pathogenic microbes have adapted to overcome these defences.

9. A patient is given large doses of broad-spectrum antibiotics to fight a bacterial infection and
subsequently develops a Candida infection of the vagina. Using your knowledge of the mode
of antibiotic action, normal flora and the cell structure of Candida, discuss how this
opportunistic infection could arise.

Answers to Section 1

1B 2D 3A 4B 5E 6A 7F 8C 9B 10A 11B 12T

13A 14B 15F 16C 17D 18D 19A 20T