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CIPHI BOC Study Questions WITH COMPLETE
SOLUTIONS latest update 2026
Hepatitis A - Incubation period - CORRECT ANSWER = 15-50 days
Usually 28-30 days
Hepatitis A - Symptoms - CORRECT ANSWER = loss of appetite, fatigue,
nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, fever, malaise and yellow skin
(jaundice)
Hepatitis A - transmission - CORRECT ANSWER = fecal-oral route
Infective: up to 2 weeks before onset to 1 week post-jaundice.
Humans are reservoir.
Hepatitis A - suspect foods - CORRECT ANSWER = Ice, shellfish
contaminated with sewage.
Hepatitis A - exclusion criteria - CORRECT ANSWER = 14 days if no
jaundice. 7 days after jaundice onset.
Life-long immunity following recovery.
Last 2 - 6 months.
pg. 1
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Norovirus - incubation period - CORRECT ANSWER = 24-48 hours
Norovirus - symptoms - CORRECT ANSWER = Sudden onset, watery
diarrhea, vomiting, cramp, nausea, low fever.
Norovirus - transmission - CORRECT ANSWER = Very contagious. Low
infective dose. Fecal-oral. Person-Person. Humans only reservoir.
Norovirus - most at risk - CORRECT ANSWER = o Children
o Older Adults
o Those with weakened immune systems.
o These higher risk groups are more likely to experience dehydration as
a result of severe vomiting and diarrhea
Salmonellosis types - CORRECT ANSWER = S. enteritis
S. typhimurium
Salmonellosis incubation - CORRECT ANSWER = 6-72 hours
Usually 12-36 hours
Salmonellosis symptoms - CORRECT ANSWER = Sudden onset, cramp,
diarrhea, nausea, headache, possible vomit.
pg. 2
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Salmonellosis transmission - CORRECT ANSWER = Bacterial. Usually
contaminated food, raw bean sprouts. Human and animal reservoir. Pet
contact.
Salmonellosis suspect foods - CORRECT ANSWER = Raw egg,
unpasteurized milk, unwashed fruit/veg. Raw meat.
Shigellosis IP - CORRECT ANSWER = 12-96 hours (usually 1-3 days)
Shigellosis symptoms - CORRECT ANSWER = Diarrhea, fever, cramp.
Nausea.
Possible bloody diarrhea.
May cause HUS in kids.
Shigellosis transmission - CORRECT ANSWER = Bacterial. Fecal-oral.
Sexual contact
Humans only reservoir.
Possibly via mechanical vectors (flies, cockroaches)
Low infectious dose.
Shigellosis suspect foods - CORRECT ANSWER = Shigella is not naturally
present on foods, but can contaminate food through cross
contamination during handling, or from exposure to polluted water
pg. 3
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Food is most often contaminated with Shigella from water polluted by
human sewage.
IP - 1-90 days (usually 3-70 days)
Symptoms - Most cases asymptomatic. Fever, headache. <5% vomit &
diarrhea.
Transmission: Environmental bacteria. Gets in raw product (between
cooking & packaging) & spreads via cross-contamination.
** Psychrotroph. Hardy.
Suspect Foods: Soft cheeses, deli meats, hot dogs, ready to eat meats,
unpasteurized milk.
Concern for pregnant women - CORRECT ANSWER = Listeriosis
L. monocytogenes
IP - 0.5-6 hours
Symptoms - Nausea, vomiting, rarely fever and diarrhea
Transmission - Bacterial. Grows and produces heat stable enterotoxin in
food.
Suspect foods - Cooked rice left at room temperature - CORRECT
ANSWER = Bacillus Cereus (emetic)
IP - 4-96 hours (usually 12-24)
Symptoms - Severe cramp, watery diarrhea, nausea, vomiting,
headache, fever.
pg. 4
CIPHI BOC Study Questions WITH COMPLETE
SOLUTIONS latest update 2026
Hepatitis A - Incubation period - CORRECT ANSWER = 15-50 days
Usually 28-30 days
Hepatitis A - Symptoms - CORRECT ANSWER = loss of appetite, fatigue,
nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, fever, malaise and yellow skin
(jaundice)
Hepatitis A - transmission - CORRECT ANSWER = fecal-oral route
Infective: up to 2 weeks before onset to 1 week post-jaundice.
Humans are reservoir.
Hepatitis A - suspect foods - CORRECT ANSWER = Ice, shellfish
contaminated with sewage.
Hepatitis A - exclusion criteria - CORRECT ANSWER = 14 days if no
jaundice. 7 days after jaundice onset.
Life-long immunity following recovery.
Last 2 - 6 months.
pg. 1
,2|Page
Norovirus - incubation period - CORRECT ANSWER = 24-48 hours
Norovirus - symptoms - CORRECT ANSWER = Sudden onset, watery
diarrhea, vomiting, cramp, nausea, low fever.
Norovirus - transmission - CORRECT ANSWER = Very contagious. Low
infective dose. Fecal-oral. Person-Person. Humans only reservoir.
Norovirus - most at risk - CORRECT ANSWER = o Children
o Older Adults
o Those with weakened immune systems.
o These higher risk groups are more likely to experience dehydration as
a result of severe vomiting and diarrhea
Salmonellosis types - CORRECT ANSWER = S. enteritis
S. typhimurium
Salmonellosis incubation - CORRECT ANSWER = 6-72 hours
Usually 12-36 hours
Salmonellosis symptoms - CORRECT ANSWER = Sudden onset, cramp,
diarrhea, nausea, headache, possible vomit.
pg. 2
,3|Page
Salmonellosis transmission - CORRECT ANSWER = Bacterial. Usually
contaminated food, raw bean sprouts. Human and animal reservoir. Pet
contact.
Salmonellosis suspect foods - CORRECT ANSWER = Raw egg,
unpasteurized milk, unwashed fruit/veg. Raw meat.
Shigellosis IP - CORRECT ANSWER = 12-96 hours (usually 1-3 days)
Shigellosis symptoms - CORRECT ANSWER = Diarrhea, fever, cramp.
Nausea.
Possible bloody diarrhea.
May cause HUS in kids.
Shigellosis transmission - CORRECT ANSWER = Bacterial. Fecal-oral.
Sexual contact
Humans only reservoir.
Possibly via mechanical vectors (flies, cockroaches)
Low infectious dose.
Shigellosis suspect foods - CORRECT ANSWER = Shigella is not naturally
present on foods, but can contaminate food through cross
contamination during handling, or from exposure to polluted water
pg. 3
, 4|Page
Food is most often contaminated with Shigella from water polluted by
human sewage.
IP - 1-90 days (usually 3-70 days)
Symptoms - Most cases asymptomatic. Fever, headache. <5% vomit &
diarrhea.
Transmission: Environmental bacteria. Gets in raw product (between
cooking & packaging) & spreads via cross-contamination.
** Psychrotroph. Hardy.
Suspect Foods: Soft cheeses, deli meats, hot dogs, ready to eat meats,
unpasteurized milk.
Concern for pregnant women - CORRECT ANSWER = Listeriosis
L. monocytogenes
IP - 0.5-6 hours
Symptoms - Nausea, vomiting, rarely fever and diarrhea
Transmission - Bacterial. Grows and produces heat stable enterotoxin in
food.
Suspect foods - Cooked rice left at room temperature - CORRECT
ANSWER = Bacillus Cereus (emetic)
IP - 4-96 hours (usually 12-24)
Symptoms - Severe cramp, watery diarrhea, nausea, vomiting,
headache, fever.
pg. 4
