USMLE STEP 1 MICROBIOLOGY 2026 |
COMPLETE STUDY GUIDE & PRACTICE
QUESTIONS
| GRADED A+ | GUARANTEED SUCCESS
Updated 2026 Questions and Answers
100% Verified Exam Prep and Comprehensive
Rationales Included
,Bugs visualized by silver stain? Pneumocystis, Legionella, (H. pylori?).
Culture requirement for H flu? Chocolate agar w/ factors V and X.
Culture requirement for N. Thayer-Martin media (VPNT - vancomycin for G+,
gonorrhea? Polymyxin for G-, Nystatin for fungi; TMP-SMX for
Proteus).
Culture requirement for B. pertussis? Bordet-Gengou potato agar ("Bordet")
Culture requirement for C. Tellurite agar, Loffler's media.
diphtheria?
Culture requirement for Lowenstein-Jensen agar.
Mycobacterium TB?
Culture requirement for Mycoplasma Eaton's agar ("Eatin' the fried eggs")
pneumoniae?
Culture requirement for lactose- Pink colonies on MacConkey's agar (pink due to
fermenting enterics? acid production) - macConKEE'S - Citraus,
Klebsiella, E. coli, Enterobacter, Serratia.
, Culture requirement for E. coli? MacConkey agar or eosin-methylene blue (EMB) -
blue-black colonies w/ green metallic sheen.
Culture requirement for Legionella? Charcoal yeast extract w/ cysteine and iron (old
men with silver hair in the hot tub kept warm by the
charcoal fire).
Culture requirement for fungi? Sabouraud's agar.
Obligate anaerobes? "Can't Breathe Air" - Clostridium, Bacteroides,
Actinomyces. Aminoglycosides require O2 for
uptake and won't work on these guys.
(Pasteurella?)
Obligate aerobes? "Nagging Pests Must Breathe" - Nocardia,
Pseudomonas, Mycobacterium, Bacillus.
Obligate intracellular parasites? Chlamydia and Rickettsiae (includes Erlichia and
Coxiella) - can't make their own ATP.
Facultative intracellular parasites? "Some Nasty Bugs May Live FacultativeLY" -
Salmonella, Neisseria, Brucella, Mycobacterium,
Listeria, Francisella, Legionalla, Yersinia pestis.
COMPLETE STUDY GUIDE & PRACTICE
QUESTIONS
| GRADED A+ | GUARANTEED SUCCESS
Updated 2026 Questions and Answers
100% Verified Exam Prep and Comprehensive
Rationales Included
,Bugs visualized by silver stain? Pneumocystis, Legionella, (H. pylori?).
Culture requirement for H flu? Chocolate agar w/ factors V and X.
Culture requirement for N. Thayer-Martin media (VPNT - vancomycin for G+,
gonorrhea? Polymyxin for G-, Nystatin for fungi; TMP-SMX for
Proteus).
Culture requirement for B. pertussis? Bordet-Gengou potato agar ("Bordet")
Culture requirement for C. Tellurite agar, Loffler's media.
diphtheria?
Culture requirement for Lowenstein-Jensen agar.
Mycobacterium TB?
Culture requirement for Mycoplasma Eaton's agar ("Eatin' the fried eggs")
pneumoniae?
Culture requirement for lactose- Pink colonies on MacConkey's agar (pink due to
fermenting enterics? acid production) - macConKEE'S - Citraus,
Klebsiella, E. coli, Enterobacter, Serratia.
, Culture requirement for E. coli? MacConkey agar or eosin-methylene blue (EMB) -
blue-black colonies w/ green metallic sheen.
Culture requirement for Legionella? Charcoal yeast extract w/ cysteine and iron (old
men with silver hair in the hot tub kept warm by the
charcoal fire).
Culture requirement for fungi? Sabouraud's agar.
Obligate anaerobes? "Can't Breathe Air" - Clostridium, Bacteroides,
Actinomyces. Aminoglycosides require O2 for
uptake and won't work on these guys.
(Pasteurella?)
Obligate aerobes? "Nagging Pests Must Breathe" - Nocardia,
Pseudomonas, Mycobacterium, Bacillus.
Obligate intracellular parasites? Chlamydia and Rickettsiae (includes Erlichia and
Coxiella) - can't make their own ATP.
Facultative intracellular parasites? "Some Nasty Bugs May Live FacultativeLY" -
Salmonella, Neisseria, Brucella, Mycobacterium,
Listeria, Francisella, Legionalla, Yersinia pestis.
