a-IPC Exam Study Guide (Practice Test #1)
The bacterium most likely to be transmitted from mother to infant during labor and cause neonatal
sepsis is:
a. Escherichia coli
b. Staphylococcus aureus
c. Group B Streptococcus
d. Group A Streptococcus - (correct Answer) - c. Group B Streptococcus
Which of the following is an example of the criterion of "Strength of the Association" from Hill's criteria
for causation?
a. In a study of the association between antibiotic exposure and development of C. difficile infection, the
odds ratio was 2:3
b. In a study of the association between antibiotic exposure and development of C. difficile infection, the
authors' conclusions are consistent with those of three other studies
c. In a study of the association between antibiotic exposure and development of C. difficile infection,
antibiotic therapy began an average of 3 weeks before C. difficile infection developed
d. In a study of the association between antibiotic exposure and development of C. difficile infection,
prolonged antibiotic therapy was a greater risk factor for C. difficile infection than short-term antibiotic
therapy - (correct Answer) - a. In a study of the association between antibiotic exposure and
development of C. difficile infection, the odds ratio was 2:3
Which of the following rules should be followed when collecting a stool sample for C. difficile testing?
1) Stool sample should be freshly passed within 1-2 hours
2) 10-20mL. of formed stool should be collected
3) Stool should be passed into a clean, dry container
4) Specimens should be obtained before antimicrobial agents have been administered
a. 1, 2
b. 2, 3
c. 1, 3
d. 1, 4 - (correct Answer) - c. 1, 3
,What type of meningitis would be most consistent with the following cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) report
result:
Glucose= Decreased; Protein= Elevated; WBC counts= 1,000/mm3
a. Bacterial
b. Viral
c. Fungal
d. Tuberculosis - (correct Answer) - a. Bacterial
The following blood culture result should be considered a potential contaminant:
a. A positive result of coagulase-negative staphylococci from two sets, 2 days apart, without symptoms
b. A positive result of S. aureus from one bottle in a patient with a temperature of 38.6°C
c. A positive result of E. coli from one bottle in an afebrile patient with diarrhea
d. A positive result of Candida albicans in a fungal blood culture in a patient with a urinary tract infection
- (correct Answer) - a. A positive result of coagulase-negative staphylococci from two sets, 2 days apart,
without symptoms
Which of the following organisms have been associated with the transmission of infections after body
piercing?
1) Atypical Mycobacterium species
2) Staphylococcus species
3) Pseudomonas species
4) Haemophilus species
a. 1, 2, 3
b. 2, 3, 4
c. 1, 3, 4
d. 1, 2, 4 - (correct Answer) - a. 1, 2, 3
The Director of the Operating Room (OR) requests that the OR surfaces be routinely environmentally
cultured. The IP's best response should be:
a. A schedule for routine culturing of the OR should be arranged so that each room is cultured at a set
interval
b. Routine culturing of the OR should be done in the absence of any epidemiologic investigations in that
area
,c. Routine culturing should not be done because it is too expensive
d. Routine environmental culturing should not be considered unless an epidemiologic investigation is
being conducted - (correct Answer) - d. Routine environmental culturing should not be considered unless
an epidemiologic investigation is being conducted
All of the following may be indications of a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) malfunction
except:
a. An increase in the postoperative surgical site infection (SSI) rates
b. A single case of aspergillosis in a severely immunosuppressed patient
c. Healthcare-associated varicella infections
d. An outbreak of ventilator-associated Acinetobacter infections in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) - (correct
Answer) - d. An outbreak of ventilator-associated Acinetobacter infections in the Intensive Care Unit
(ICU)
A patient who underwent intraocular surgery was diagnosed with a noninfectious endopthalmitis after
the procedure. The IP initiates an investigation to identify the possible cause. Which of the following
factors should be considered?
1) Improper handling, cleaning, and rinsing of the instruments
2) Improper labeling of the solutions
3) Gloves and powder
4) Prophylactic antibiotics administered 2 hours before the procedure
a. 1, 3
b. 1, 2
c. 3, 4
d. 2, 4 - (correct Answer) - a. 1, 3
Sensitivity may be defined as:
a. The ability of a test to detect true positives (persons with the disease) when applied to a population
with the disease
b. The ability of a test to detect the true negatives (persons without the disease) when applied to a
population without the disease
c. The ability of a test to detect true positives (persons with disease) when applied to a population
without the disease
d. The percentage of persons with true positive results when the test is applied to persons without the
disease - (correct Answer) - a. The ability of a test to detect true positives (persons with the disease)
, when applied to a population with the disease
The IP is monitoring blood work in order to differentiate between bacterial or viral infection in a newly
admitted ICU patient. Which of the following components of a complete blood count (CBC) should the IP
examine in order to determine this information?
a. Hematocrit
b. White blood cell count
c. Platelet (thrombocyte count)
d. Red blood cell indices - (correct Answer) - b. White blood cell count
A nurse manager from a Rehabilitation Unit is requesting that aerators be installed on the sinks in the
patient rooms on her unit. The IP should explain that:
a. Aerators should be placed on all sinks in the ICU only
b. Aerators are more effective when combined with an ultraviolet water disinfection method
c. Aerators increase the risk of HAIs
d. Low-flow aerators are suitable for use with this population - (correct Answer) - c. Aerators increase the
risk of HAIs
Herpes simplex virus (HSV) keratitis is suspected in an oncology patient. Aerobic eye cultures are
negative to date. A single serum sample is sent for enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) antibody
testing. The following titers are reported: HSV titer 1:128, cytomegalovirus (CMV) titer <1:8, Epstein-Barr
virus (EBV) titer <1:8. These results indicate:
a. Immunity to HSV
b. Confirmation of acute HSV infection
c. Presumptive identification of HSV infection
d. Immunity to CMV and EBV - (correct Answer) - c. Presumptive identification of HSV infection
A patient is suspected of having Pertussis. A nasopharyngeal aspirate is collected for direct fluorescent
antibody (DFA) testing and for culture eight hours after antimicrobial therapy is started. The DFA test is
negative but the culture test is positive. Does this patient have Pertussis?
a. No, because the DFA test is highly specific and it was negative
b. No, because culture of Bordatella pertussis has very low sensitivity
c. No, because all testing is unreliable if antimicrobial therapy has been initiated prior to specimen
collection
d. Yes, because the culture test is 100 percent specific for identification of Bordatella pertussis - (correct
Answer) - d. Yes, because the culture test is 100 percent specific for identification of Bordatella pertussis
The bacterium most likely to be transmitted from mother to infant during labor and cause neonatal
sepsis is:
a. Escherichia coli
b. Staphylococcus aureus
c. Group B Streptococcus
d. Group A Streptococcus - (correct Answer) - c. Group B Streptococcus
Which of the following is an example of the criterion of "Strength of the Association" from Hill's criteria
for causation?
a. In a study of the association between antibiotic exposure and development of C. difficile infection, the
odds ratio was 2:3
b. In a study of the association between antibiotic exposure and development of C. difficile infection, the
authors' conclusions are consistent with those of three other studies
c. In a study of the association between antibiotic exposure and development of C. difficile infection,
antibiotic therapy began an average of 3 weeks before C. difficile infection developed
d. In a study of the association between antibiotic exposure and development of C. difficile infection,
prolonged antibiotic therapy was a greater risk factor for C. difficile infection than short-term antibiotic
therapy - (correct Answer) - a. In a study of the association between antibiotic exposure and
development of C. difficile infection, the odds ratio was 2:3
Which of the following rules should be followed when collecting a stool sample for C. difficile testing?
1) Stool sample should be freshly passed within 1-2 hours
2) 10-20mL. of formed stool should be collected
3) Stool should be passed into a clean, dry container
4) Specimens should be obtained before antimicrobial agents have been administered
a. 1, 2
b. 2, 3
c. 1, 3
d. 1, 4 - (correct Answer) - c. 1, 3
,What type of meningitis would be most consistent with the following cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) report
result:
Glucose= Decreased; Protein= Elevated; WBC counts= 1,000/mm3
a. Bacterial
b. Viral
c. Fungal
d. Tuberculosis - (correct Answer) - a. Bacterial
The following blood culture result should be considered a potential contaminant:
a. A positive result of coagulase-negative staphylococci from two sets, 2 days apart, without symptoms
b. A positive result of S. aureus from one bottle in a patient with a temperature of 38.6°C
c. A positive result of E. coli from one bottle in an afebrile patient with diarrhea
d. A positive result of Candida albicans in a fungal blood culture in a patient with a urinary tract infection
- (correct Answer) - a. A positive result of coagulase-negative staphylococci from two sets, 2 days apart,
without symptoms
Which of the following organisms have been associated with the transmission of infections after body
piercing?
1) Atypical Mycobacterium species
2) Staphylococcus species
3) Pseudomonas species
4) Haemophilus species
a. 1, 2, 3
b. 2, 3, 4
c. 1, 3, 4
d. 1, 2, 4 - (correct Answer) - a. 1, 2, 3
The Director of the Operating Room (OR) requests that the OR surfaces be routinely environmentally
cultured. The IP's best response should be:
a. A schedule for routine culturing of the OR should be arranged so that each room is cultured at a set
interval
b. Routine culturing of the OR should be done in the absence of any epidemiologic investigations in that
area
,c. Routine culturing should not be done because it is too expensive
d. Routine environmental culturing should not be considered unless an epidemiologic investigation is
being conducted - (correct Answer) - d. Routine environmental culturing should not be considered unless
an epidemiologic investigation is being conducted
All of the following may be indications of a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) malfunction
except:
a. An increase in the postoperative surgical site infection (SSI) rates
b. A single case of aspergillosis in a severely immunosuppressed patient
c. Healthcare-associated varicella infections
d. An outbreak of ventilator-associated Acinetobacter infections in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) - (correct
Answer) - d. An outbreak of ventilator-associated Acinetobacter infections in the Intensive Care Unit
(ICU)
A patient who underwent intraocular surgery was diagnosed with a noninfectious endopthalmitis after
the procedure. The IP initiates an investigation to identify the possible cause. Which of the following
factors should be considered?
1) Improper handling, cleaning, and rinsing of the instruments
2) Improper labeling of the solutions
3) Gloves and powder
4) Prophylactic antibiotics administered 2 hours before the procedure
a. 1, 3
b. 1, 2
c. 3, 4
d. 2, 4 - (correct Answer) - a. 1, 3
Sensitivity may be defined as:
a. The ability of a test to detect true positives (persons with the disease) when applied to a population
with the disease
b. The ability of a test to detect the true negatives (persons without the disease) when applied to a
population without the disease
c. The ability of a test to detect true positives (persons with disease) when applied to a population
without the disease
d. The percentage of persons with true positive results when the test is applied to persons without the
disease - (correct Answer) - a. The ability of a test to detect true positives (persons with the disease)
, when applied to a population with the disease
The IP is monitoring blood work in order to differentiate between bacterial or viral infection in a newly
admitted ICU patient. Which of the following components of a complete blood count (CBC) should the IP
examine in order to determine this information?
a. Hematocrit
b. White blood cell count
c. Platelet (thrombocyte count)
d. Red blood cell indices - (correct Answer) - b. White blood cell count
A nurse manager from a Rehabilitation Unit is requesting that aerators be installed on the sinks in the
patient rooms on her unit. The IP should explain that:
a. Aerators should be placed on all sinks in the ICU only
b. Aerators are more effective when combined with an ultraviolet water disinfection method
c. Aerators increase the risk of HAIs
d. Low-flow aerators are suitable for use with this population - (correct Answer) - c. Aerators increase the
risk of HAIs
Herpes simplex virus (HSV) keratitis is suspected in an oncology patient. Aerobic eye cultures are
negative to date. A single serum sample is sent for enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) antibody
testing. The following titers are reported: HSV titer 1:128, cytomegalovirus (CMV) titer <1:8, Epstein-Barr
virus (EBV) titer <1:8. These results indicate:
a. Immunity to HSV
b. Confirmation of acute HSV infection
c. Presumptive identification of HSV infection
d. Immunity to CMV and EBV - (correct Answer) - c. Presumptive identification of HSV infection
A patient is suspected of having Pertussis. A nasopharyngeal aspirate is collected for direct fluorescent
antibody (DFA) testing and for culture eight hours after antimicrobial therapy is started. The DFA test is
negative but the culture test is positive. Does this patient have Pertussis?
a. No, because the DFA test is highly specific and it was negative
b. No, because culture of Bordatella pertussis has very low sensitivity
c. No, because all testing is unreliable if antimicrobial therapy has been initiated prior to specimen
collection
d. Yes, because the culture test is 100 percent specific for identification of Bordatella pertussis - (correct
Answer) - d. Yes, because the culture test is 100 percent specific for identification of Bordatella pertussis
