TEST BANK FOR TALARO'S FOUNDATIONS IN
MICROBIOLOGY, 12TH EDITION BY BARRY CHESS
AND KATHLEEN PARK TALARO | ALL CHAPTERS
VERIFIED QUESTION AND ANSWERS | UPDATED
2025/2026 | GRADED A+
, CHAPTER 1 — THE MAIN THEMES OF MICROBIOLOGY
1. A nursing student asks why microbiology is important to allied health
professionals. Which reply best explains the primary reason microbiology is
essential in clinical practice?
It5fprovides5fa5fcomplete5flist5fof5fall5fpathogenic5forganisms.
A. It5fexplains5 f how5fmicroorganisms5 f cause5fdisease5fand5fhow5fto5fprevent5fth
eir5fspread.
B. It5fteaches5fsurgical5fprocedures5frequired5fto5ftreat5finfections.
C. It5ffocuses5fon5feconomic5fimpacts5fof5finfectious5 f disease5fcontrol.
Answer:5fB.
Rationale:5fMicrobiology5fhelps5fclinicians5 f understand5fpathogen5fbiology,5fmodes5fof
5ftransmission,5 f host5fresponse,5fand5fprevention/control 5fstrategies5 f (e.g.,5fasepsis,5fva
ccines,5fantibiotics).5fOptions5fA,5fC,5fand5fD5fare5feither5 f incomplete5for5firrelevant5 f to5f
why5fmicrobiology5fis5fessential5fin5fclinical5 f care.
2. Which5fone5fof5fthe5ffollowing5 f best5fdescribes5fthe5fconcept5fof5f“emergi
ng5finfectious5fdisease”?
A. A5fdisease5fthat5fis5feradicated5fworldwide.
B. An5finfection5fthat5fbecomes5fclinically5 f less5fsevere5fover5ftime.
C. A5fdisease5fthat5fappears5fin5fa5fpopulation5ffor5fthe5ffirst5ftime5 f or5freappears5faf
ter5fa5fsignificant5 f decline.
D. Any5fdisease5fcaused5fby5fviruses5 f only.
Answer:5fC.
Rationale:5fEmerging5 finfectious5 f diseases5fnewly5 fappear5for5freappear5f(e.g.,5fEbol
a,5fSARS-CoV-
2).5fThey5fare5fnot5flimited5 f to5fviruses5 f and5fare5fnot5feradicated5 f diseases.
3. A5fpatient5fdevelops5fa5fsecondary5finfection5fafter5finfluenza5 f due5fto5fcolonizi
ng5fbacteria.5fWhich5fterm5fbest5ffits5fthe5fbacterial5finfection?
A. Latent5finfection
B. Primary5fpathogen
C. Opportunistic5finfection
D. Congenital5finfection
Answer:5fC.
,Rationale:5fAn5fopportunistic5finfection5 f occurs5fwhen5fnormal5fdefenses5fare5fcompro
mised5f(influenza5 f damages5frespiratory5fepithelium),5 f allowing5 f normally5 f non-
5finvasive5 f organisms5fto5fcause5fdisease.5fPrimary5 f pathogens5fcause5fdisease5fin5fhealth
y5fhosts;5flatent5 f is5fdormant;5fcongenital5fis5fpresent5fat5fbirth.
4. Which5fof5fthe5ffollowing5 f statements5fabout5fnormal5fmicrobiota5f(microflora)5f
is5fTRUE?
A. They5fare5falways5fharmful5fand5fshould5fbe5feliminated.
B. They5fprovide5fbenefits5fsuch5fas5fcompetitive5fexclusion5fand5fvitami
n5fproduction.
C. They5fare5fthe5fsame5ffor5fevery5fhuman5 fbeing.
D. They5fonly5fexist5fon5fthe5fskin.
Answer:5fB.
Rationale:5fNormal5fmicrobiota5fbenefit5fhosts5fby5fcompetitive5 f exclusion,5fvitamin5fs
ynthesis,5fand5fimmune5fsystem5fdevelopment.5fThey5fvary5fbetween5findividuals5 f and5fo
ccur5fon5fmany5 f body5fsites5f(gut,5fskin,5fmucosa).
5. A5fsmall5foutbreak5fof5ffoodborne5fillness5 f occurred5fafter5fa5fcatered5 f event.5fT
he5finstructor5fasks5fwhat5fpublic5fhealth5 f role5fepidemiology5 f played.5fWhic
h5fstatement5fis5fcorrect?
A. Epidemiology5fis5fresponsible5ffor5ftreating5fthe5fsick.
B. Epidemiology5ftraces5fpatterns,5fcauses,5fand5fcontrol5fmeasures5ffor5fdisease5fi
n5fpopulations.
C. Epidemiology5 f only5fdocuments5fdeaths.
D. Epidemiology5fonly5fstudies5fchronic5fdiseases.
Answer:5fB.
Rationale:5fEpidemiology5finvestigates5 f distribution5fand5fdeterminants5 f of5fhealth5fe
vents,5fhelping5fidentify5 fsources5f(e.g.,5fcontaminated5ffood),5fmodes5fof5ftransmission,5f
and5finterventions.5 f It’s5fnot5flimited5 f to5ftreatment,5 f deaths,5for5fchronic5fdisease.
6. Which5fcharacteristic5 f separates5fviruses5ffrom5fcellular5 f life?
A. Presence5fof5fDNA5for5fRNA5 fgenome
B. Capability5fto5freplicate5fonly5finside5fa5fhost5fcell
, C. Having5fa5fprotein5fcoat
D. Ability5fto5fevolve
Answer:5fB.
Rationale:5fViruses5fare5fobligate5fintracellular5 f parasites—
they5frequire5fhost5fmachinery5fto5freplicate.5fCellular5 f life5fconducts5findependent5f
metabolism;5fviruses5fmay5fhave5fDNA5for5fRNA5fand5fcan5fevolve,5 f and5fmany5fhav
e5fa5fprotein5fcapsid,5fbut5fobligate5fintracellular5 f replication5fis5fdefining.
7. A5fclinician5 f hears5fthe5fphrase5f“infection5fdoes5fnot5falways5 fequal5fdiseas
e.”5fWhich5fexample5 f supports5fthat5fstatement?
A. Symptomatic5finfluenza5 f infection5fin5fa5fpatient5fwith5ffever.
B. Carriage5fof5fStaphylococcus5faureus5fin5fthe5fanterior5 f nares5fof5fa5fhealt
hy5fperson.
C. Death5fcaused5fby5fsepsis.
D. Severe5fpneumonia5 f in5fan5fimmunocompromised5 f patient.
Answer:5fB.
Rationale:5fCarriage5f(colonization)5fshows5finfection5fwithout5 f clinical5 f disease.5f
Infection5fcan5fbe5fasymptomatic;5fdisease5foccurs5fwhen5fhost5fdamage5for 5fsymptom
s5fmanifest.
8. Which5fof5fthe5ffollowing5 f best5freflects5 f Koch’s5fpostulates’5fmain5 f contribution5f
to5fmicrobiology?
A. Measuring5fmicrobial5fgrowth5frates5fin5fthe5flab.
B. Establishing5fcriteria5fto5flink5fa5fspecific5fmicroorganism5fto5fa5fparticul
ar5fdisease.
C. Describing5fadaptive5fimmune5 f responses.
D. Explaining5fhow5fantibiotics5 f work.
Answer:5fB.
Rationale:5fKoch’s5fpostulates5fwere5ffoundational5fin5fdemonstrating5fcausation5fbetw
een5fmicrobes5fand5fdisease5f(isolate5 f organism,5freproduce5fdisease5fin5fmodel,5fre-
5fisolate).5 f They5fdo5fnot5fcover5fimmunity5 f or5fantibiotics.
9. A5fnewly5 f discovered5fbacterium5fis5funable5 f to5fbe5fcultured5 f on5fstandard5fmed
ia5fbut5fis5fconsistently5ffound5fin5fpatients5 fwith5fa5fdisease.5fWhich5fmodern5ftech
nique5fhelps5fassociate5fthe5fbacterium5fwith5 f disease5fdespite5fKoch’s5fpostulate
s
MICROBIOLOGY, 12TH EDITION BY BARRY CHESS
AND KATHLEEN PARK TALARO | ALL CHAPTERS
VERIFIED QUESTION AND ANSWERS | UPDATED
2025/2026 | GRADED A+
, CHAPTER 1 — THE MAIN THEMES OF MICROBIOLOGY
1. A nursing student asks why microbiology is important to allied health
professionals. Which reply best explains the primary reason microbiology is
essential in clinical practice?
It5fprovides5fa5fcomplete5flist5fof5fall5fpathogenic5forganisms.
A. It5fexplains5 f how5fmicroorganisms5 f cause5fdisease5fand5fhow5fto5fprevent5fth
eir5fspread.
B. It5fteaches5fsurgical5fprocedures5frequired5fto5ftreat5finfections.
C. It5ffocuses5fon5feconomic5fimpacts5fof5finfectious5 f disease5fcontrol.
Answer:5fB.
Rationale:5fMicrobiology5fhelps5fclinicians5 f understand5fpathogen5fbiology,5fmodes5fof
5ftransmission,5 f host5fresponse,5fand5fprevention/control 5fstrategies5 f (e.g.,5fasepsis,5fva
ccines,5fantibiotics).5fOptions5fA,5fC,5fand5fD5fare5feither5 f incomplete5for5firrelevant5 f to5f
why5fmicrobiology5fis5fessential5fin5fclinical5 f care.
2. Which5fone5fof5fthe5ffollowing5 f best5fdescribes5fthe5fconcept5fof5f“emergi
ng5finfectious5fdisease”?
A. A5fdisease5fthat5fis5feradicated5fworldwide.
B. An5finfection5fthat5fbecomes5fclinically5 f less5fsevere5fover5ftime.
C. A5fdisease5fthat5fappears5fin5fa5fpopulation5ffor5fthe5ffirst5ftime5 f or5freappears5faf
ter5fa5fsignificant5 f decline.
D. Any5fdisease5fcaused5fby5fviruses5 f only.
Answer:5fC.
Rationale:5fEmerging5 finfectious5 f diseases5fnewly5 fappear5for5freappear5f(e.g.,5fEbol
a,5fSARS-CoV-
2).5fThey5fare5fnot5flimited5 f to5fviruses5 f and5fare5fnot5feradicated5 f diseases.
3. A5fpatient5fdevelops5fa5fsecondary5finfection5fafter5finfluenza5 f due5fto5fcolonizi
ng5fbacteria.5fWhich5fterm5fbest5ffits5fthe5fbacterial5finfection?
A. Latent5finfection
B. Primary5fpathogen
C. Opportunistic5finfection
D. Congenital5finfection
Answer:5fC.
,Rationale:5fAn5fopportunistic5finfection5 f occurs5fwhen5fnormal5fdefenses5fare5fcompro
mised5f(influenza5 f damages5frespiratory5fepithelium),5 f allowing5 f normally5 f non-
5finvasive5 f organisms5fto5fcause5fdisease.5fPrimary5 f pathogens5fcause5fdisease5fin5fhealth
y5fhosts;5flatent5 f is5fdormant;5fcongenital5fis5fpresent5fat5fbirth.
4. Which5fof5fthe5ffollowing5 f statements5fabout5fnormal5fmicrobiota5f(microflora)5f
is5fTRUE?
A. They5fare5falways5fharmful5fand5fshould5fbe5feliminated.
B. They5fprovide5fbenefits5fsuch5fas5fcompetitive5fexclusion5fand5fvitami
n5fproduction.
C. They5fare5fthe5fsame5ffor5fevery5fhuman5 fbeing.
D. They5fonly5fexist5fon5fthe5fskin.
Answer:5fB.
Rationale:5fNormal5fmicrobiota5fbenefit5fhosts5fby5fcompetitive5 f exclusion,5fvitamin5fs
ynthesis,5fand5fimmune5fsystem5fdevelopment.5fThey5fvary5fbetween5findividuals5 f and5fo
ccur5fon5fmany5 f body5fsites5f(gut,5fskin,5fmucosa).
5. A5fsmall5foutbreak5fof5ffoodborne5fillness5 f occurred5fafter5fa5fcatered5 f event.5fT
he5finstructor5fasks5fwhat5fpublic5fhealth5 f role5fepidemiology5 f played.5fWhic
h5fstatement5fis5fcorrect?
A. Epidemiology5fis5fresponsible5ffor5ftreating5fthe5fsick.
B. Epidemiology5ftraces5fpatterns,5fcauses,5fand5fcontrol5fmeasures5ffor5fdisease5fi
n5fpopulations.
C. Epidemiology5 f only5fdocuments5fdeaths.
D. Epidemiology5fonly5fstudies5fchronic5fdiseases.
Answer:5fB.
Rationale:5fEpidemiology5finvestigates5 f distribution5fand5fdeterminants5 f of5fhealth5fe
vents,5fhelping5fidentify5 fsources5f(e.g.,5fcontaminated5ffood),5fmodes5fof5ftransmission,5f
and5finterventions.5 f It’s5fnot5flimited5 f to5ftreatment,5 f deaths,5for5fchronic5fdisease.
6. Which5fcharacteristic5 f separates5fviruses5ffrom5fcellular5 f life?
A. Presence5fof5fDNA5for5fRNA5 fgenome
B. Capability5fto5freplicate5fonly5finside5fa5fhost5fcell
, C. Having5fa5fprotein5fcoat
D. Ability5fto5fevolve
Answer:5fB.
Rationale:5fViruses5fare5fobligate5fintracellular5 f parasites—
they5frequire5fhost5fmachinery5fto5freplicate.5fCellular5 f life5fconducts5findependent5f
metabolism;5fviruses5fmay5fhave5fDNA5for5fRNA5fand5fcan5fevolve,5 f and5fmany5fhav
e5fa5fprotein5fcapsid,5fbut5fobligate5fintracellular5 f replication5fis5fdefining.
7. A5fclinician5 f hears5fthe5fphrase5f“infection5fdoes5fnot5falways5 fequal5fdiseas
e.”5fWhich5fexample5 f supports5fthat5fstatement?
A. Symptomatic5finfluenza5 f infection5fin5fa5fpatient5fwith5ffever.
B. Carriage5fof5fStaphylococcus5faureus5fin5fthe5fanterior5 f nares5fof5fa5fhealt
hy5fperson.
C. Death5fcaused5fby5fsepsis.
D. Severe5fpneumonia5 f in5fan5fimmunocompromised5 f patient.
Answer:5fB.
Rationale:5fCarriage5f(colonization)5fshows5finfection5fwithout5 f clinical5 f disease.5f
Infection5fcan5fbe5fasymptomatic;5fdisease5foccurs5fwhen5fhost5fdamage5for 5fsymptom
s5fmanifest.
8. Which5fof5fthe5ffollowing5 f best5freflects5 f Koch’s5fpostulates’5fmain5 f contribution5f
to5fmicrobiology?
A. Measuring5fmicrobial5fgrowth5frates5fin5fthe5flab.
B. Establishing5fcriteria5fto5flink5fa5fspecific5fmicroorganism5fto5fa5fparticul
ar5fdisease.
C. Describing5fadaptive5fimmune5 f responses.
D. Explaining5fhow5fantibiotics5 f work.
Answer:5fB.
Rationale:5fKoch’s5fpostulates5fwere5ffoundational5fin5fdemonstrating5fcausation5fbetw
een5fmicrobes5fand5fdisease5f(isolate5 f organism,5freproduce5fdisease5fin5fmodel,5fre-
5fisolate).5 f They5fdo5fnot5fcover5fimmunity5 f or5fantibiotics.
9. A5fnewly5 f discovered5fbacterium5fis5funable5 f to5fbe5fcultured5 f on5fstandard5fmed
ia5fbut5fis5fconsistently5ffound5fin5fpatients5 fwith5fa5fdisease.5fWhich5fmodern5ftech
nique5fhelps5fassociate5fthe5fbacterium5fwith5 f disease5fdespite5fKoch’s5fpostulate
s
