MLT ASCP PRACTICE FINAL TEST 2026
QUESTIONS WITH CORRECT
ANSWERS GRADED A+
◍ A routine serum protein electrophoresis with normal proteins results in
_____ zones or bands.A: 5B: 6C: 10D: 12.
Answer: A
◍ In an standard electrophoretic separation, what zone appears first (anodal
end) on the densitometric pattern?A: AlbuminB: A1-globulinsC:
A2-globulinsD: B-globulins.
Answer: A
◍ Which of the following cardiovascular risk markers is a more sensitive
version of a test that is used to assess inflammation?A: Oxidized-LDLB:
HS-CRPC: ApoB/ApoA1D: LpPLA2.
Answer: B
◍ The proper blood-to-broth ratio for blood cultures to reduce the antibacterial
effect of serum in adults is:a. 1:2b. 1:3c. 1:10d. 1:30.
Answer: c. 1:10
◍ The most appropriate method for collecting a urine specimen from a patient
with an indwelling catheter is:a. remove the catheter, cut the tip, and submit
it for cultureb. disconnect the catheter from the bag, and aseptically collect
urine from the terminal end of the catheterc. aseptically collect the urine
directly from the drainage bagd. aspirate urine aseptically from the catheter
tubing.
Answer: d. aspirate urine aseptically from the catheter tubing
◍ Which of the following groups of specimens would be acceptable for
anaerobic culture?a. vaginal swab, eye swabb. intraoral surface swab, leg
, tissuec. pleural fluid, brain abscess fluidd. urine, sputum.
Answer: c. pleural fluid, brain abscess fluid
◍ Sodium polyanetholsulfonate (SPS) is used as an anticoagulant for blood
cultures because it:a. inactivates penicillin and cephalosporinsb. prevents
clumping of red cellsc. inactivates neutrophils and components with serum
complementd. facilitates growth of anaerobes.
Answer: c. inactivates neutrophils and components with serum complement
◍ The optimal collection of a wound specimen for culture of anaerobic
organisms is a:a. swab of lesion obtained before administration of
antibodiesb. swab of lesion obtained after administration of antibodiesc.
syringe filled with pus, obtained before administration of antibodiesd.
syringe filled with pus, obtained after administration of antibodies.
Answer: c. syringe filled with pus, obtained before administration of
antibodies
◍ The most important variable in the recovery of organisms in adult patients
with bacteremia (bacterial sepsis) is:a. subculture of all bottles at day 5 of
incubationb. the recommended volume of blood culturedc. collection of
daily blood culture sets for 3 consecutive daysd. collection of multiple blood
culture sets from a single venipuncture.
Answer: b. the recommended volume of blood cultured
◍ A patient has optimal LDL & HDL cholesterol values, but a HS-CRP test
shows a value of 12mg/L (low cardiovascular risk <1.0mg/L). Which of the
following situations is most likely?A: The patient has a marked lipid
problem such as metabolic syndromeB: The patient has not been fastingC:
The patient has a underlying acute inflammation processD: The patient has
been drinking too much water before the specimen was collected, therefore
diluting the LDL & HDL values.
Answer: C
◍ A reaction is in _____ kinetics when the reaction rate depends on enzyme
concentration.A: Zero-orderB: 1st-orderC: 2nd-orderD: Mixed-order.
Answer: A
,◍ Virus transport medium should contain agents that:a. enable rapid viral
growth during the transport timeb. inhibit bacterial and fungal growthc.
destroy nonpathogenic virusesd. inhibit complement-fixing antibodies.
Answer: b. inhibit bacterial and fungal growth
◍ A bronchoscopy sample with the request for culture of Legionella is sent to
the laboratory. The correct plating protocol is:a. culture on thiosulfate citrate
bile salt mediab. incubate the culture media anaerobicallyc. reject the
specimen and request a sputum sampled. culture on buffered charcoal yeast
extract agar with antibiotics.
Answer: d. culture on buffered charcoal yeast extract agar with antibiotics
◍ Which of the following are considered 2 of the POSITIVE risk factors for
coronary heart disease as determined by the NCEP?A: LDL-C concentration
<100mg/dL; HDL-C concentration = 60mg/dLB: LDL-C concentration =
100mg/dL; HDL-C concentration = 60mg/dLC: LDL-C concentration
<100mg/dL; HDL-C concentration = <40mg/dLD: LDL-C concentration =
100mg/dL; HDL-C concentration = <40mg/dL.
Answer: D
◍ A community hospital microbiology laboratory is processing significant
numbers of stool cultures because of an outbreak of diarrhea following
heavy rains and flooding in the county. A media that should be incorporated
in the plating protocol is:a. colistin nalidixic acid for Listeriab. MacConkey
agar with sorbitol for Campylobacterc. mannitol salt agar for Enterococcus
speciesd. thiosulfate citrate bile salts sucrose for Vibrio species.
Answer: d. thiosulfate citrate bile salts sucrose for Vibrio species
◍ An electrophoretic separation of lactate dehydrogenase isoenzyme that
demonstrates elevation in LD-1 greater than LD-2 could be indicative of:A:
A normal LD isoenzyme patternB: HemolysisC: PancreatitisD: Hepatic
injury.
Answer: B
◍ Which type of kinetic reactions are reaction in which the enzyme is in
, excess & the substrate concentration is the limiting factors?A: Zero-orderB:
1st-orderC: 2nd-orderD: 3rd-order.
Answer: B
◍ Which of the following methods for long-term diabetic monitoring is
recommended for patients with sickle cell anemia?A: FructosamineB: Hb
A1CC: Both methods are acceptableD: Neither method is acceptable.
Answer: A
◍ An electrophoretic separation of lactate dehydrogenase isoenzyme that
demonstrates elevation in LD-1 greater than LD-2 could be indicative of:
A. A normal LD isoenzyme pattern
B. Myocardial infarction
C. Pancreatitis
D. Diabetes mellitus.
Answer: B. myocardial infarction
◍ A male urethral discharge specimen submitted for culture should be
inoculated to:a. sheep blood and phenylethyl alcohol agarsb.
eosin-methylene blue and sheep blood agarsc. thioglycollate broth and
chocolate agard. chocolate and modified Thayer-Martin agars.
Answer: d. chocolate and modified Thayer-Martin agars
◍ The steam autoclave method for sterilization requires:a. 15 lb of pressure for
15 minutesb. dry heat for 20 minutesc. a maximum temperature of 100°Cd.
a source of ethylene oxide.
Answer: a. 15 lb of pressure for 15 minutes
◍ Which selective medium is used for the isolation of gram-positive
microorganisms?a Columbia CNA with 5% sheep blood b trypticase soy
agar with 5% sheep blood c eosin methylene blue d modified
Thayer-Martin.
Answer: a Columbia CNA with 5% sheep blood
◍ Sodium fluoride is an excellent preservative for collecting glucose
specimens because it does which of the following?
QUESTIONS WITH CORRECT
ANSWERS GRADED A+
◍ A routine serum protein electrophoresis with normal proteins results in
_____ zones or bands.A: 5B: 6C: 10D: 12.
Answer: A
◍ In an standard electrophoretic separation, what zone appears first (anodal
end) on the densitometric pattern?A: AlbuminB: A1-globulinsC:
A2-globulinsD: B-globulins.
Answer: A
◍ Which of the following cardiovascular risk markers is a more sensitive
version of a test that is used to assess inflammation?A: Oxidized-LDLB:
HS-CRPC: ApoB/ApoA1D: LpPLA2.
Answer: B
◍ The proper blood-to-broth ratio for blood cultures to reduce the antibacterial
effect of serum in adults is:a. 1:2b. 1:3c. 1:10d. 1:30.
Answer: c. 1:10
◍ The most appropriate method for collecting a urine specimen from a patient
with an indwelling catheter is:a. remove the catheter, cut the tip, and submit
it for cultureb. disconnect the catheter from the bag, and aseptically collect
urine from the terminal end of the catheterc. aseptically collect the urine
directly from the drainage bagd. aspirate urine aseptically from the catheter
tubing.
Answer: d. aspirate urine aseptically from the catheter tubing
◍ Which of the following groups of specimens would be acceptable for
anaerobic culture?a. vaginal swab, eye swabb. intraoral surface swab, leg
, tissuec. pleural fluid, brain abscess fluidd. urine, sputum.
Answer: c. pleural fluid, brain abscess fluid
◍ Sodium polyanetholsulfonate (SPS) is used as an anticoagulant for blood
cultures because it:a. inactivates penicillin and cephalosporinsb. prevents
clumping of red cellsc. inactivates neutrophils and components with serum
complementd. facilitates growth of anaerobes.
Answer: c. inactivates neutrophils and components with serum complement
◍ The optimal collection of a wound specimen for culture of anaerobic
organisms is a:a. swab of lesion obtained before administration of
antibodiesb. swab of lesion obtained after administration of antibodiesc.
syringe filled with pus, obtained before administration of antibodiesd.
syringe filled with pus, obtained after administration of antibodies.
Answer: c. syringe filled with pus, obtained before administration of
antibodies
◍ The most important variable in the recovery of organisms in adult patients
with bacteremia (bacterial sepsis) is:a. subculture of all bottles at day 5 of
incubationb. the recommended volume of blood culturedc. collection of
daily blood culture sets for 3 consecutive daysd. collection of multiple blood
culture sets from a single venipuncture.
Answer: b. the recommended volume of blood cultured
◍ A patient has optimal LDL & HDL cholesterol values, but a HS-CRP test
shows a value of 12mg/L (low cardiovascular risk <1.0mg/L). Which of the
following situations is most likely?A: The patient has a marked lipid
problem such as metabolic syndromeB: The patient has not been fastingC:
The patient has a underlying acute inflammation processD: The patient has
been drinking too much water before the specimen was collected, therefore
diluting the LDL & HDL values.
Answer: C
◍ A reaction is in _____ kinetics when the reaction rate depends on enzyme
concentration.A: Zero-orderB: 1st-orderC: 2nd-orderD: Mixed-order.
Answer: A
,◍ Virus transport medium should contain agents that:a. enable rapid viral
growth during the transport timeb. inhibit bacterial and fungal growthc.
destroy nonpathogenic virusesd. inhibit complement-fixing antibodies.
Answer: b. inhibit bacterial and fungal growth
◍ A bronchoscopy sample with the request for culture of Legionella is sent to
the laboratory. The correct plating protocol is:a. culture on thiosulfate citrate
bile salt mediab. incubate the culture media anaerobicallyc. reject the
specimen and request a sputum sampled. culture on buffered charcoal yeast
extract agar with antibiotics.
Answer: d. culture on buffered charcoal yeast extract agar with antibiotics
◍ Which of the following are considered 2 of the POSITIVE risk factors for
coronary heart disease as determined by the NCEP?A: LDL-C concentration
<100mg/dL; HDL-C concentration = 60mg/dLB: LDL-C concentration =
100mg/dL; HDL-C concentration = 60mg/dLC: LDL-C concentration
<100mg/dL; HDL-C concentration = <40mg/dLD: LDL-C concentration =
100mg/dL; HDL-C concentration = <40mg/dL.
Answer: D
◍ A community hospital microbiology laboratory is processing significant
numbers of stool cultures because of an outbreak of diarrhea following
heavy rains and flooding in the county. A media that should be incorporated
in the plating protocol is:a. colistin nalidixic acid for Listeriab. MacConkey
agar with sorbitol for Campylobacterc. mannitol salt agar for Enterococcus
speciesd. thiosulfate citrate bile salts sucrose for Vibrio species.
Answer: d. thiosulfate citrate bile salts sucrose for Vibrio species
◍ An electrophoretic separation of lactate dehydrogenase isoenzyme that
demonstrates elevation in LD-1 greater than LD-2 could be indicative of:A:
A normal LD isoenzyme patternB: HemolysisC: PancreatitisD: Hepatic
injury.
Answer: B
◍ Which type of kinetic reactions are reaction in which the enzyme is in
, excess & the substrate concentration is the limiting factors?A: Zero-orderB:
1st-orderC: 2nd-orderD: 3rd-order.
Answer: B
◍ Which of the following methods for long-term diabetic monitoring is
recommended for patients with sickle cell anemia?A: FructosamineB: Hb
A1CC: Both methods are acceptableD: Neither method is acceptable.
Answer: A
◍ An electrophoretic separation of lactate dehydrogenase isoenzyme that
demonstrates elevation in LD-1 greater than LD-2 could be indicative of:
A. A normal LD isoenzyme pattern
B. Myocardial infarction
C. Pancreatitis
D. Diabetes mellitus.
Answer: B. myocardial infarction
◍ A male urethral discharge specimen submitted for culture should be
inoculated to:a. sheep blood and phenylethyl alcohol agarsb.
eosin-methylene blue and sheep blood agarsc. thioglycollate broth and
chocolate agard. chocolate and modified Thayer-Martin agars.
Answer: d. chocolate and modified Thayer-Martin agars
◍ The steam autoclave method for sterilization requires:a. 15 lb of pressure for
15 minutesb. dry heat for 20 minutesc. a maximum temperature of 100°Cd.
a source of ethylene oxide.
Answer: a. 15 lb of pressure for 15 minutes
◍ Which selective medium is used for the isolation of gram-positive
microorganisms?a Columbia CNA with 5% sheep blood b trypticase soy
agar with 5% sheep blood c eosin methylene blue d modified
Thayer-Martin.
Answer: a Columbia CNA with 5% sheep blood
◍ Sodium fluoride is an excellent preservative for collecting glucose
specimens because it does which of the following?
