Exam Medical Microbiology and
Immunology 3200 Questions Fully
Solved 2026.
What is a sporadic disease? - Answer A disease where only a few scattered cases occur within
a given population
What is an endemic disease? - Answer A disease that occurs at a relatively stable frequency
within a given population
What is an epidemic disease ? - Answer When a disease exceeds its normal frequency within a
given population
What is a pandemic disease? - Answer An epidemic outbreak that spreads across continental
barriers
What are virulence factors? - Answer Mechanisms which contribute to multiple aspects of
pathogenesis; they are genetically encoded traits that allow the microbe to cause disease
What kind of virulence factors exist - Answer 1. Environment persistence (spore formation)
2. Transmission (resistance to desiccation)
3. Adherence (production of adhesions)
4. Immune evasion (multiple strategies)
5. Tissue damage (endo and exotoxins)
6. Dissemination (exit from the host)
What are surface virulence factors? - Answer These are physically attached and contribute to
pathogenesis in some way.
1. Capsules- adherence and immune evasion
2. Fimbriae- adherence and immune evasion
3. Flagella- motility and tissue invasion
How is an endo toxin considered a virulence factor? - Answer The LPS, which is the component
of the outer membrane, produces inflammatory responses such as fever. The LPS is only present
on gram negative bacteria.
, How is an exotoxin considered a virulence factor? - Answer Exotoxins are secreted from
pathogenic bacteria and cause tissue damage (from nutrient release), immune evasion, and
dissemination to a new host (exit strategy). A major category is neurotoxins.
What are reservoirs of infection? - Answer Habitats in which a pathogen can survive and or
multiply
What is an example of an animal Reservoirs? - Answer Zoonoses- diseases that are naturally
spread from their primary animal hosts to humans. An example of this is the bubonic plague
What is an example of a human reservoir? - Answer Asymptomatic people can transmit the
pathogen to new individuals
What is an example of a nonliving reservoir? - Answer Soil, water, and food
What is an example of indirect transmission? - Answer Microbes are transmitted via inanimate
objects (fomites), vehicle transmission, or by a biological vector.
What is an example of direct transmission? - Answer Microbes being transmitted by direct
contact with someone with the disease or via aerosols.
What is an example of vehicle transmission? - Answer When microbes are transmitted
indirectly through fomites, food, or water.
What is an example of vector transmission? - Answer Microbes being transmitted both directly
and indirectly via animal reservoirs
What is an example of vertical transmission? - Answer Microbes that are transferred from
mother to baby during development or shortly after birth. Some pathogens can cross the
human placenta, but usually the placenta is an effective barrier to bacterial and viral pathogens
as the two blood supplies are not in physical contact
What is the most important stage of infectious disease and why? - Answer The Prodromal
period because this is when signs of the disease develop
What are the stages of infectious disease? - Answer 1. Incubation
2. Prodromal period
3. Illness
4. Decline
Immunology 3200 Questions Fully
Solved 2026.
What is a sporadic disease? - Answer A disease where only a few scattered cases occur within
a given population
What is an endemic disease? - Answer A disease that occurs at a relatively stable frequency
within a given population
What is an epidemic disease ? - Answer When a disease exceeds its normal frequency within a
given population
What is a pandemic disease? - Answer An epidemic outbreak that spreads across continental
barriers
What are virulence factors? - Answer Mechanisms which contribute to multiple aspects of
pathogenesis; they are genetically encoded traits that allow the microbe to cause disease
What kind of virulence factors exist - Answer 1. Environment persistence (spore formation)
2. Transmission (resistance to desiccation)
3. Adherence (production of adhesions)
4. Immune evasion (multiple strategies)
5. Tissue damage (endo and exotoxins)
6. Dissemination (exit from the host)
What are surface virulence factors? - Answer These are physically attached and contribute to
pathogenesis in some way.
1. Capsules- adherence and immune evasion
2. Fimbriae- adherence and immune evasion
3. Flagella- motility and tissue invasion
How is an endo toxin considered a virulence factor? - Answer The LPS, which is the component
of the outer membrane, produces inflammatory responses such as fever. The LPS is only present
on gram negative bacteria.
, How is an exotoxin considered a virulence factor? - Answer Exotoxins are secreted from
pathogenic bacteria and cause tissue damage (from nutrient release), immune evasion, and
dissemination to a new host (exit strategy). A major category is neurotoxins.
What are reservoirs of infection? - Answer Habitats in which a pathogen can survive and or
multiply
What is an example of an animal Reservoirs? - Answer Zoonoses- diseases that are naturally
spread from their primary animal hosts to humans. An example of this is the bubonic plague
What is an example of a human reservoir? - Answer Asymptomatic people can transmit the
pathogen to new individuals
What is an example of a nonliving reservoir? - Answer Soil, water, and food
What is an example of indirect transmission? - Answer Microbes are transmitted via inanimate
objects (fomites), vehicle transmission, or by a biological vector.
What is an example of direct transmission? - Answer Microbes being transmitted by direct
contact with someone with the disease or via aerosols.
What is an example of vehicle transmission? - Answer When microbes are transmitted
indirectly through fomites, food, or water.
What is an example of vector transmission? - Answer Microbes being transmitted both directly
and indirectly via animal reservoirs
What is an example of vertical transmission? - Answer Microbes that are transferred from
mother to baby during development or shortly after birth. Some pathogens can cross the
human placenta, but usually the placenta is an effective barrier to bacterial and viral pathogens
as the two blood supplies are not in physical contact
What is the most important stage of infectious disease and why? - Answer The Prodromal
period because this is when signs of the disease develop
What are the stages of infectious disease? - Answer 1. Incubation
2. Prodromal period
3. Illness
4. Decline
