MICROBIOLOGY FOR COMLEX LEVEL 1 EXAM REVIEW UPDATED FINAL EXAM 2026
COMLEX: Microbiology
Organisms known for causing endocarditis
S. aureus, Staph epididermis, viridans strep, VRE, Strep. bovis, HACEK organisms
Four drug regimen used to treat TB
isoniazid, ethambutol, rifampin, pyrazinamide
Used to treat Trichomonas or Gardnerella
metronidazole
Used to treat Plasmodium vivax or ovale
chloroquine + primaquine
Used to treat Pediculosis capitis or pubus
permethrin, pyrethrin
Organisms most commonly responsible for otitis media
Strep pneumoniae
Haemophilus influenzae
Moraxella catarrhalis
Organism most commonly responsible for otitis externa
Pseudomonas aeruginosa
Fungus that causes San Joaquin Valley fever
,Coccidioides
Fungus found in rural Latin America
Paracoccidioides
Fungus associated with plant thorns and cutaneous injury
Sporothrix
Fungus found in states east of the Mississippi River
Blastomycosis
Fungus found in bird and bat droppings
Histoplasmosis
Mold form contains barrel-shaped arthroconidia
Coccidioides
Encapsulated bacteria (8)
E. coli, Strep pneumoniae, N. meningitidis, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenae,
Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Salmonella, group B Strep
Steeple sign on X-ray
croup, parainfluenza virus
Thumb sign on x-ray
epiglottitis, Haemophilus influenza
Treatment of chronic hepatitis B and C
,IFN-alpha, ribavirin
Most abundant bacteria in the colon of most individuals
Bacteroides fragilis
likely organisms in a patient with chronic granulomatous disease
S. aureus, E. coli, K. pneumoniae, Aspergillus, Candida (all are catalase +)
Organisms that cause infections in the mouth of AIDS patients
HSV, C. albicans, EBV, CMV
Three structural genes that code for HIV proteins
gag (p24)
pol (reverse transcriptase, integrase)
env (gp120, gp41)
Dark purple nodules on the skin in an HIV patient
HHV-8, Kaposi sarcoma
large cells with owl's eye inclusions
CMV
treatment for CMV
ganciclovir
most common opportunistic infection in HIV patients
Pneumocystis jirovecii
, drug used to prevent Pneumocystis pneumonia
TMP-SMX
causes hemolytic-uremic syndrome
EHEC: 0157:H7
medications used to treat C. diff colitis
metronidazole and oral vancomycin
food poisoning as a result of mayonnaise sitting out too long
S. aureus
diarrhea caused by Gram (-) nonmotile organism that does not ferment lactose
Shigella
Rice-water stools
Vibrio cholera
Diarrhea caused by an S-shaped organism
Campylobacter jejuni
Diarrhea transmitted from pet feces
Yersinia enterocolitica
Food poisoning resulting from reheated rice
Bacillus cereus
COMLEX: Microbiology
Organisms known for causing endocarditis
S. aureus, Staph epididermis, viridans strep, VRE, Strep. bovis, HACEK organisms
Four drug regimen used to treat TB
isoniazid, ethambutol, rifampin, pyrazinamide
Used to treat Trichomonas or Gardnerella
metronidazole
Used to treat Plasmodium vivax or ovale
chloroquine + primaquine
Used to treat Pediculosis capitis or pubus
permethrin, pyrethrin
Organisms most commonly responsible for otitis media
Strep pneumoniae
Haemophilus influenzae
Moraxella catarrhalis
Organism most commonly responsible for otitis externa
Pseudomonas aeruginosa
Fungus that causes San Joaquin Valley fever
,Coccidioides
Fungus found in rural Latin America
Paracoccidioides
Fungus associated with plant thorns and cutaneous injury
Sporothrix
Fungus found in states east of the Mississippi River
Blastomycosis
Fungus found in bird and bat droppings
Histoplasmosis
Mold form contains barrel-shaped arthroconidia
Coccidioides
Encapsulated bacteria (8)
E. coli, Strep pneumoniae, N. meningitidis, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenae,
Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Salmonella, group B Strep
Steeple sign on X-ray
croup, parainfluenza virus
Thumb sign on x-ray
epiglottitis, Haemophilus influenza
Treatment of chronic hepatitis B and C
,IFN-alpha, ribavirin
Most abundant bacteria in the colon of most individuals
Bacteroides fragilis
likely organisms in a patient with chronic granulomatous disease
S. aureus, E. coli, K. pneumoniae, Aspergillus, Candida (all are catalase +)
Organisms that cause infections in the mouth of AIDS patients
HSV, C. albicans, EBV, CMV
Three structural genes that code for HIV proteins
gag (p24)
pol (reverse transcriptase, integrase)
env (gp120, gp41)
Dark purple nodules on the skin in an HIV patient
HHV-8, Kaposi sarcoma
large cells with owl's eye inclusions
CMV
treatment for CMV
ganciclovir
most common opportunistic infection in HIV patients
Pneumocystis jirovecii
, drug used to prevent Pneumocystis pneumonia
TMP-SMX
causes hemolytic-uremic syndrome
EHEC: 0157:H7
medications used to treat C. diff colitis
metronidazole and oral vancomycin
food poisoning as a result of mayonnaise sitting out too long
S. aureus
diarrhea caused by Gram (-) nonmotile organism that does not ferment lactose
Shigella
Rice-water stools
Vibrio cholera
Diarrhea caused by an S-shaped organism
Campylobacter jejuni
Diarrhea transmitted from pet feces
Yersinia enterocolitica
Food poisoning resulting from reheated rice
Bacillus cereus
