WGU D311 MICROBIOLOGY PRACTICE ASSESSMENT TEST 2026 SERIES

WGU D311 WGU D311 WGU D311 MICROBIOLOGY PRACTICE ASSESSMENT TEST 2026 SERIES Which class of cells most often contain extrachromosomal DNA found in plasmids? - Correct Ans-Prokaryotic What is the significance of the molecule that makes up the bilayer formed in the plasma membrane of most bacterial and eukaryotic cells? - Correct Ans-Phospholipids help maintain hydrophobic and hydrophilic environments. Which microorganisms produce dermatophytes that can cause skin infections, such as athlete's foot and ringworm? - Correct Ans-Fungi Which microorganisms can produce human pathogens that spread via microsporidia? - Correct Ans-Fungi Why are archaea considered prokaryotic organisms? - Correct Ans-Their cells do not contain a nucleus. Why is MRSA more pathogenic than other strains of Staphylococcus aureus? - Correct Ans-MRSA has increased antibiotic resistance. A patient recently had an outpatient surgical procedure. After a few days at home, they noticed swelling and redness at their incision site. How would this infection be classified? - Correct Ans-Iatrogenic Which viral virulence factor requires adjustments to the influenza vaccine annually? - Correct Ans-Antigenic variation Which pair of enzymes are produced by some bacteria that causes the clotting of blood to protect the bacteria in the bloodstream, then a digestion of the clots to allow the bacteria to spread? - Correct Ans-Coagulase and kinase How does coinfection of a single cell by multiple strains of a virus increase it's pathogenicity? - Correct Ans-Coinfection provides the opportunity for an antigenic shift. Canned food is heated and sealed in sterile containers to provide a longer shelf life and prevent spoilage. Improper canning results in the growth of microorganisms, which may result in food containers that swell and explode. Which staining technique can be used to identify these microorganisms? - Correct Ans Endospore staining WGU D311 WGU D311 A student in a lab has just completed an endospore stain of Bacillus anthracis and realized that heat was not applied during the staining technique. What will the student see upon microscopic examination of the slide? - Correct Ans-Pink vegetative cells with clear round areas. A physician is given a vaginal swab in order to test for post-antibiotic vaginal infection. Which microscopic technique would identify opportunistic fungal pathogen? - Correct Ans-Wet mount stain A technician has just performed a Gram stain but forgot to add the safranin. What is the likely result of this when viewed microscopically? - Correct Ans-Gram negative organisms can not be seen under the microscope. Which characteristic of mycobacterium makes a Gram stain unsuitable? - Correct Ans The cell wall has a waxy lipid. Which feature of infection indicates the presence of a primary pathogen rather than an opportunistic pathogen? - Correct Ans-Patients with healthy immune systems. After oral antibiotic therapy, a patient is diagnosed with vaginitis. What type of microbe could be causing this opportunistic infection? - Correct Ans Fungus What type of microbe is used to deliver gene therapies to human cells? - Correct Ans Virus What type of diseases are found in higher numbers than expected in local populations? - Correct Ans-Epidemic Which describes a mutualistic relationship? - Correct Ans-Ruminococcus species using nutrients from a cow's diet to digest plant cellulose in the rumen. Why are photosynthetic bacteria and algae important to the carbon cycle on Earth? - Correct Ans-Photosynthetic microbes metabolize carbon dioxide, fix carbon, and produce oxygen. What microbial process is used by bacteria and fungi to produce many common food products, such as soy sauce, bread, and yogurt? - Correct Ans-Fermantation Which beneficial role do viruses have in the environment? - Correct Ans-Integrating into plant genomes to increase drought tolerance. WGU D311 WGU D311 A dental hygienist nicked the gum of the patient during a routine cleaning. A mild infection of the gum was followed 10 days later with acute bacterial endocarditis. Which type of infection caused the endocarditis? - Correct Ans-A focal infection An infected individual riding in a subway car coughs for a few minutes, then leaves. An individual standing at the opposite end of the car one hour after the infected individual left develops symptoms two days later. How was this pathogen transmitted? - Correct Ans-The pathogen exhibits airborne transmission, where suspended mucus particles travel long distances over time to cause infection. What is the most common portal of exit for vector-transmitted diseases such as West Nile virus? - Correct Ans-Blood Which type of transmission describes a parent catching the common cold virus when caring for their sick child? - Correct Ans-Direct contact transmission Which organism is implicated if type 1 fimbriae are used to attach to intestinal epithelial cells? - Correct Ans-Escherichia coli A patient presents with an infection on an implant. What should the clinician consider in planning the treatment course? - Correct Ans-The infection is likely a biofilm, causing a physical barrier to antibiotics. Which outcome is a direct result of the increased "leakiness" of capillaries during inflammation? - Correct Ans-Edema To reach pathogens located in infected tissue, leukocytes must pass through the walls of small capillary blood vessels within tissues. What is this process called? - Correct Ans-Extravasation How is incidence different than prevalence? - Correct Ans-Incidence is the number of new cases over a given span of time, whereas prevalence is the total number of cases at a given point in time. A novel disease is epidemic in three countries. What should the World Health Organization do first to manage the spread? - Correct Ans-Determine the etiologic agent. WGU D311 WGU D311 What role does contact tracing play in disease prevention? - Correct Ans-Ensures that exposed individuals receive appropriate treatment and testing or isolate themselves. The day after attending a birthday party for a niece, a person starts to develop fever, nausea, and vomiting. Within a day, nearly everyone who was in attendance has contacted this person, complaining that they are also sick. Family members who did not attend the party do not have these signs and symptoms. What is a likely explanation for how this disease spread? - Correct Ans-Point source spread from single contaminated food at the party. A bacterial pathogen is found growing in the bloodstream of a patient. Which diagnosis is correct for this finding? - Correct Ans-Septicemia Which method of physical microbial control can be used to sterilize fresh food? - Correct Ans-Radiation Which statement regarding antiseptics is true? - Correct Ans-Antiseptics kill microbes on skin or tissue via antimicrobial chemicals. Why do aseptic techniques prevent contamination of a patient by microbes and infectious agents? - Correct Ans-Aseptic techniques maintain the sterility of an object or place through the use of physical and chemical protocols. Which type of microbial control is used to remove most microbes from the kitchen counter in a restaurant? - Correct Ans-Disinfection How does filtration, such as that found in surgical masks, N95 respirators, and high efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters, prevent microbial transmission? - Correct Ans Filters have pores that trap particles above a certain size, including most microbes. Why is desiccation or dehydration an effective method of microbial control? - Correct Ans-Water concentration decreases below what is required for microbial survival. When would it be best to treat a patient with a narrow-spectrum antimicrobial rather than a broad-spectrum antimicrobial? - Correct Ans-When the infectious agent has been identified as a gram-negative bacterium. When can narrow-spectrum antibiotics be used to treat infectious diseases effectively? - Correct Ans-When the infection is known to be caused by a gram-positive bacterium. Why is ergosterol targeted by antifungal? - Correct Ans-Ergosterol synthesis allows for selective toxicity that is not possible with cholesterol. WGU D311 WGU D311 Why are diseases like Legionnaires' disease considered noncommunicable? - Correct Ans-Once a person contracts this disease, they can not pass it to another person. Which target would appropriately treat a fungal skin infection? - Correct Ans-Ergosterol synthesis Broad-spectrum antibiotics disrupt the microbiome and provide an opportunity for pathogens such as Clostridium difficile to grow and cause infection. How can the microbiome me quickly reestablished to prevent a clostridium difficult infection? - Correct Ans-Fecal transplant A person who is allergic to components of a vaccine is still protected from contracting a virus due to the vast majority of the surrounding population being vaccinated and unable to contract a pathogen. What is this phenomenon called? - Correct Ans-Herd immunity Why is there a resurgence in whooping cough and measles in the Unites States? - Correct Ans-More opposition to childhood vaccination. Which vaccine type has the advantages of producing long-lasting cellular and humoral immunity and allowing transmission to contacts? - Correct Ans-Live attenuated Which organism type does a conjugate vaccine target? - Correct Ans-Capsule-forming A pregnant person has received all of her childhood immunizations, including for pertussis, but has chosen not to receive boosters while pregnant or to immunize her child once it is born. What will happen to her child if exposed to pertussis at five years old. - Correct Ans-The child's immune system will need to fight the infection. An infection by a pathogen that occurs several years after the first elicits a faster response from lymphocytes. Why is the response by lymphocytes to a second infection so much faster than the first? - Correct Ans-Lymphocytes produce memory cells during the first infection, providing active immunity.