MBIO 4300 Finals
Latest Exam Study Guide 2025/2026
What are the three types of diarrhea based on severity? - ansSevere (more than 10 watery
stools per day), Moderate (less than 10 watery stools per day), Mild (few watery stools per
day).
What is acute watery diarrhea? - ansDiarrhea that lasts for hours to days.
What characterizes dysentery? - ansIt is characterized by bloody diarrhea.
How long does persistent diarrhea last? - ansIt lasts greater than 14 days.
What are the main etiological categories of diarrheal diseases? - ansParasitic, Viral, and
Bacterial.
What are the primary modes of spread and transmission for diarrheal diseases? - ansPerson to
person, zoonotic sources to humans, and contaminated water.
List some risk factors for diarrheal diseases. - ansPoor hygiene, unclean water, poor housing
conditions, open defecation, poor access to healthcare, undernutrition, and a poor immune
system.
What is the role of oral rehydration salts (ORS) in treating diarrhea? - ansORS is a low
osmolarity solution of clean water, electrolytes, and sugar, and is more than 90% effective at
decreasing mortality rate.
What is the recommended duration for zinc supplements in diarrhea treatment? - ans10-14
days therapy.
What is integrated community case management (iCCM)? - ansA strategy that trains
healthcare providers on how to use ORS and zinc therapy.
What issues can arise in the treatment of diarrheal diseases? - ansFluid curtailment,
misinformation, local beliefs about natural and supernatural causes.
What bacterium causes cholera? - ansVibrio cholerae (O1 strain).
What is a common symptom of symptomatic cholera infections? - ansLoss of about 5 liters of
fluid a day.
What is the treatment for cholera? - ansORS mixed with 1L of clean water, IV fluids for
severe cases, and antibiotics to decrease the duration of diarrhea.
What are the complications associated with cholera? - ansHypovolemic shock and multiple
organ failure.
How is cholera diagnosed? - ansPCR of stool cultures.
What vaccines are available for cholera? - ansOral vaccines such as Dukoral, Sanchol, and
Euvichol.
What are the main transmission routes for Cryptosporidium and Giardia? - ansDrinking
contaminated water, and contamination from fruits and vegetables.
What is the treatment for Cryptosporidium? - ansNitazoxanide, but it is not given to children
under 1 year old and is not effective in immunocompromised patients.
What is the treatment for Giardia? - ansMetronidazole, which is 80% effective in individuals.
What are some risk factors for increased incidence of Cryptosporidium and Giardia? -
ansIncreased population growth and climate change.
What percentage of HIV positive individuals in Africa have access to ARV therapy? -
ans64% of HIV positive individuals have access to ARV therapy.
What percentage of those on ARV therapy display low viral load? - ans52% of those on ARV
therapy display low viral load.
Which gender shows higher compliance with HIV therapy in Africa? - ansMore women than
men are on therapy and compliant.
, MBIO 4300 Finals
Latest Exam Study Guide 2025/2026
What is the leading cause of AIDS-related deaths in Africa? - ans33% of AIDS-related deaths
occur due to TB infection.
How does HIV affect life expectancy in Africa? - ansHIV virus has decreased life expectancy
in Africa.
Which region has the highest number of HIV positive children? - ansAfrica has the highest
number of HIV positive children.
What are some issues faced by HIV positive individuals in Africa? - ansStigma, lack of
rights, discrimination in healthcare, and slower social and economic progress.
How does stigma affect HIV positive children in Africa? - ansHIV positive children are often
not allowed to attend schools.
What is a significant social issue affecting women in relation to HIV in Africa? -
ansIncreased marriage in young women.
What is the prevalence of HIV-2 in Africa? - ansHIV-2 is prevalent in Western Africa.
What are the main contrasts between HIV-1 and HIV-2? - ansHIV-1 has global prevalence
while HIV-2 is prevalent in Western Africa.
What are some similarities between HIV-1 and HIV-2? - ansBoth have similar genomic
arrangements, infect CD4+ T helper cells, and have the same clinical progression ending with
AIDS.
What are characteristic features of HIV-2? - ansHIV-2 is less transmissible, not aggressive,
and progresses more slowly.
What are 'elite controllers' in the context of HIV? - ansIndividuals who have better control of
the disease, lower viral loads, and higher CD4+ T cells.
What are some barriers to effective HIV treatment in Africa? - ansPoorly coordinated
healthcare, lack of trained workers, high costs, ARV side effects, and discrimination.
What is vertical transmission of HIV? - ansMother to child transmission responsible for more
childhood HIV, occurring across the placenta, during birth, or via breast-feeding.
What is a key prevention strategy for mother-to-child transmission of HIV? - ansStarting the
mother on ARV as soon as possible during pregnancy.
What diagnostic method is used to detect HIV in infants? - ansPCR is used to detect viral
RNA.
What can lead to false positives in HIV testing? - ansAntibodies from an HIV positive mother
could provide false positives.
How does circumcision impact the risk of HIV infection? - ansCircumcision has been shown
to reduce the risk of HIV infection by 60%.
What are some advantages of circumcision in relation to HIV? - ansIt reduces the risk of STIs
and long-term costs associated with ARV therapy.
What family of viruses does Ebola belong to? - ansFiloviridae
How many species of Ebolavirus are there? - ans6 species, with 4 causing human infection.
What was the first detected species of Ebola and when was it first identified? - ansEbola
Zaire (EBOV), first detected in 1976.
What is the primary vector for Ebola transmission? - ansFruit bats (Pteropodidae).
How do humans primarily contract Ebola from animals? - ansThrough contact with tissue and
bodily fluids from infected animals.
What are the primary modes of human-to-human transmission of Ebola? - ansContact with
blood and bodily fluids of infected individuals.
What percentage of new Ebola infections occur during burial? - ans20%.
Latest Exam Study Guide 2025/2026
What are the three types of diarrhea based on severity? - ansSevere (more than 10 watery
stools per day), Moderate (less than 10 watery stools per day), Mild (few watery stools per
day).
What is acute watery diarrhea? - ansDiarrhea that lasts for hours to days.
What characterizes dysentery? - ansIt is characterized by bloody diarrhea.
How long does persistent diarrhea last? - ansIt lasts greater than 14 days.
What are the main etiological categories of diarrheal diseases? - ansParasitic, Viral, and
Bacterial.
What are the primary modes of spread and transmission for diarrheal diseases? - ansPerson to
person, zoonotic sources to humans, and contaminated water.
List some risk factors for diarrheal diseases. - ansPoor hygiene, unclean water, poor housing
conditions, open defecation, poor access to healthcare, undernutrition, and a poor immune
system.
What is the role of oral rehydration salts (ORS) in treating diarrhea? - ansORS is a low
osmolarity solution of clean water, electrolytes, and sugar, and is more than 90% effective at
decreasing mortality rate.
What is the recommended duration for zinc supplements in diarrhea treatment? - ans10-14
days therapy.
What is integrated community case management (iCCM)? - ansA strategy that trains
healthcare providers on how to use ORS and zinc therapy.
What issues can arise in the treatment of diarrheal diseases? - ansFluid curtailment,
misinformation, local beliefs about natural and supernatural causes.
What bacterium causes cholera? - ansVibrio cholerae (O1 strain).
What is a common symptom of symptomatic cholera infections? - ansLoss of about 5 liters of
fluid a day.
What is the treatment for cholera? - ansORS mixed with 1L of clean water, IV fluids for
severe cases, and antibiotics to decrease the duration of diarrhea.
What are the complications associated with cholera? - ansHypovolemic shock and multiple
organ failure.
How is cholera diagnosed? - ansPCR of stool cultures.
What vaccines are available for cholera? - ansOral vaccines such as Dukoral, Sanchol, and
Euvichol.
What are the main transmission routes for Cryptosporidium and Giardia? - ansDrinking
contaminated water, and contamination from fruits and vegetables.
What is the treatment for Cryptosporidium? - ansNitazoxanide, but it is not given to children
under 1 year old and is not effective in immunocompromised patients.
What is the treatment for Giardia? - ansMetronidazole, which is 80% effective in individuals.
What are some risk factors for increased incidence of Cryptosporidium and Giardia? -
ansIncreased population growth and climate change.
What percentage of HIV positive individuals in Africa have access to ARV therapy? -
ans64% of HIV positive individuals have access to ARV therapy.
What percentage of those on ARV therapy display low viral load? - ans52% of those on ARV
therapy display low viral load.
Which gender shows higher compliance with HIV therapy in Africa? - ansMore women than
men are on therapy and compliant.
, MBIO 4300 Finals
Latest Exam Study Guide 2025/2026
What is the leading cause of AIDS-related deaths in Africa? - ans33% of AIDS-related deaths
occur due to TB infection.
How does HIV affect life expectancy in Africa? - ansHIV virus has decreased life expectancy
in Africa.
Which region has the highest number of HIV positive children? - ansAfrica has the highest
number of HIV positive children.
What are some issues faced by HIV positive individuals in Africa? - ansStigma, lack of
rights, discrimination in healthcare, and slower social and economic progress.
How does stigma affect HIV positive children in Africa? - ansHIV positive children are often
not allowed to attend schools.
What is a significant social issue affecting women in relation to HIV in Africa? -
ansIncreased marriage in young women.
What is the prevalence of HIV-2 in Africa? - ansHIV-2 is prevalent in Western Africa.
What are the main contrasts between HIV-1 and HIV-2? - ansHIV-1 has global prevalence
while HIV-2 is prevalent in Western Africa.
What are some similarities between HIV-1 and HIV-2? - ansBoth have similar genomic
arrangements, infect CD4+ T helper cells, and have the same clinical progression ending with
AIDS.
What are characteristic features of HIV-2? - ansHIV-2 is less transmissible, not aggressive,
and progresses more slowly.
What are 'elite controllers' in the context of HIV? - ansIndividuals who have better control of
the disease, lower viral loads, and higher CD4+ T cells.
What are some barriers to effective HIV treatment in Africa? - ansPoorly coordinated
healthcare, lack of trained workers, high costs, ARV side effects, and discrimination.
What is vertical transmission of HIV? - ansMother to child transmission responsible for more
childhood HIV, occurring across the placenta, during birth, or via breast-feeding.
What is a key prevention strategy for mother-to-child transmission of HIV? - ansStarting the
mother on ARV as soon as possible during pregnancy.
What diagnostic method is used to detect HIV in infants? - ansPCR is used to detect viral
RNA.
What can lead to false positives in HIV testing? - ansAntibodies from an HIV positive mother
could provide false positives.
How does circumcision impact the risk of HIV infection? - ansCircumcision has been shown
to reduce the risk of HIV infection by 60%.
What are some advantages of circumcision in relation to HIV? - ansIt reduces the risk of STIs
and long-term costs associated with ARV therapy.
What family of viruses does Ebola belong to? - ansFiloviridae
How many species of Ebolavirus are there? - ans6 species, with 4 causing human infection.
What was the first detected species of Ebola and when was it first identified? - ansEbola
Zaire (EBOV), first detected in 1976.
What is the primary vector for Ebola transmission? - ansFruit bats (Pteropodidae).
How do humans primarily contract Ebola from animals? - ansThrough contact with tissue and
bodily fluids from infected animals.
What are the primary modes of human-to-human transmission of Ebola? - ansContact with
blood and bodily fluids of infected individuals.
What percentage of new Ebola infections occur during burial? - ans20%.
