MLS 5201: UNIT 1 (INTRODUCTION TO CLINICAL
MICROBIOLOGY I) QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS 2026
Clinical microbiology is also known as: - Answers - bacteriology.
What are the three objectives of clinical microbiology? - Answers - 1) culture/identify
pathogenic organisms
2) differentiate pathogen(s) from normal flora
3) perform antimicrobial susceptibility tests
Clinical microbiology requires expertise in what five areas? - Answers - 1) patient
specimens
2) differentiate pathogen(s) from normal flora
3) thorough knowledge of pathogen's characteristics and methods of ID
4) perform antimicrobial susceptibility tests
5) interaction with clinician
What are the four fields of clinical microbiology? - Answers - 1) bacteriology
2) parasitology
3) mycology
4) virology
What are aerobic bacteria? - Answers - bacteria cultured in O2 (air) and/or CO2
incubators
What are anaerobic bacteria? - Answers - bacteria cultured in anaerobic chambers (NO
air)
What are Mycobacteria? - Answers - a very unique type of bacteria that require different
lab techniques for ID
To be identified, Mycobacteria are often sent to: - Answers - a separate section of the
lab, or to a reference lab.
What is mycology? - Answers - the study of fungi (molds and yeasts)
What does the word 'dimorphic' mean? - Answers - 'two forms'
Fungi are dimorphic. What does this mean? - Answers - that they can exist in the mold
phase or the yeast phase
What is the dimorphism of fungi dependent on? - Answers - temperature
,When fungi are outside of the body and in the environment, they exist as: - Answers -
mold.
When fungi are breathed in by humans and enter the lungs, they exist as: - Answers -
yeast.
What is virology? - Answers - the study of viruses
Clinical microbiology requires the knowledge of medical microbiology in what three
areas? - Answers - 1) pathology
2) anatomy and physiology
3) epidemiology
What are three characteristics of pathology? - Answers - 1) events that take place as an
organism initiates an infection
2) symptoms and conditions resulting from infection
3) virulence factors
What are virulence factors? - Answers - mechanisms by which pathogens cause
disease
What virulence factor does Ebolavirus have? - Answers - glycoproteins
What virulence factor does Streptococcus pyogenes have? - Answers - spreading factor
What virulence factor does Staphylococcus aureus have? - Answers - clumping factor
What is a syndrome? - Answers - group of symptoms that collectively characterize a
disease or condition
What are two characteristics of anatomy and physiology? - Answers - 1) understanding
of body sites and their function in the body
2) how an infection affects the function
What are three characteristics of epidemiology? - Answers - 1) mode of transmission
2) incidence
3) control of disease in a population
What two characteristics is taxonomy based on? - Answers - 1) phenotype
2) genotype
What is phenotype? - Answers - physical features and functional traits of an organism
What is genotype? - Answers - the set of genes in its genome
'Eukarya' means: - Answers - 'true nucleus'.
, What are the four kingdoms of domain Eukarya? - Answers - 1) Protista (protozoa and
algae)
2) Plantae (plants)
3) Fungi (molds and yeasts)
4) Animalia (animals)
'Eubacteria' means: - Answers - 'true bacteria'.
What is the one kingdom of Eubacteria? - Answers - Monera (bacteria)
'Archaebacteria' means: - Answers - 'ancient bacteria'.
Are viruses included in the 3 Domain Classification Scheme? - Answers - No!
In the Kingdom Monera, what percent of all bacteria cause disease? - Answers - only
1%
The classification scheme splits living organisms into what two groups? - Answers - 1)
prokaryotes (single cell bacteria)
2) eukaryotes (everything else)
What do 'karyon', 'pro', and 'eu' mean, respectively? - Answers - 'nut', 'before', and 'true'
What is the order of the Linnaean System of Classification? - Answers - Kingdom,
Phylum (division), Class, Order, Family, Genus (Genera), Species (sp. or spp.)
Use the 'Kings Play Chess On Fine Green Stools' pneumonic to help you remember!
What are the three subtypes of species? - Answers - 1) strain
2) serotype
3) biotype
Strain (subspecies) is based on: - Answers - phenotypic differences.
Serotype (serovarieties) is based on: - Answers - serological differences.
Biotype (biovarieties) is based on: - Answers - biochemical differences.
Do eukaryotes reproduce asexually or sexually? - Answers - sexually
In eukaryotes, is each species reproductively isolated or not? - Answers - reproductively
isolated
In eukaryotes, because each species is reproductively isolated, they are: - Answers -
sexually incompatible.
MICROBIOLOGY I) QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS 2026
Clinical microbiology is also known as: - Answers - bacteriology.
What are the three objectives of clinical microbiology? - Answers - 1) culture/identify
pathogenic organisms
2) differentiate pathogen(s) from normal flora
3) perform antimicrobial susceptibility tests
Clinical microbiology requires expertise in what five areas? - Answers - 1) patient
specimens
2) differentiate pathogen(s) from normal flora
3) thorough knowledge of pathogen's characteristics and methods of ID
4) perform antimicrobial susceptibility tests
5) interaction with clinician
What are the four fields of clinical microbiology? - Answers - 1) bacteriology
2) parasitology
3) mycology
4) virology
What are aerobic bacteria? - Answers - bacteria cultured in O2 (air) and/or CO2
incubators
What are anaerobic bacteria? - Answers - bacteria cultured in anaerobic chambers (NO
air)
What are Mycobacteria? - Answers - a very unique type of bacteria that require different
lab techniques for ID
To be identified, Mycobacteria are often sent to: - Answers - a separate section of the
lab, or to a reference lab.
What is mycology? - Answers - the study of fungi (molds and yeasts)
What does the word 'dimorphic' mean? - Answers - 'two forms'
Fungi are dimorphic. What does this mean? - Answers - that they can exist in the mold
phase or the yeast phase
What is the dimorphism of fungi dependent on? - Answers - temperature
,When fungi are outside of the body and in the environment, they exist as: - Answers -
mold.
When fungi are breathed in by humans and enter the lungs, they exist as: - Answers -
yeast.
What is virology? - Answers - the study of viruses
Clinical microbiology requires the knowledge of medical microbiology in what three
areas? - Answers - 1) pathology
2) anatomy and physiology
3) epidemiology
What are three characteristics of pathology? - Answers - 1) events that take place as an
organism initiates an infection
2) symptoms and conditions resulting from infection
3) virulence factors
What are virulence factors? - Answers - mechanisms by which pathogens cause
disease
What virulence factor does Ebolavirus have? - Answers - glycoproteins
What virulence factor does Streptococcus pyogenes have? - Answers - spreading factor
What virulence factor does Staphylococcus aureus have? - Answers - clumping factor
What is a syndrome? - Answers - group of symptoms that collectively characterize a
disease or condition
What are two characteristics of anatomy and physiology? - Answers - 1) understanding
of body sites and their function in the body
2) how an infection affects the function
What are three characteristics of epidemiology? - Answers - 1) mode of transmission
2) incidence
3) control of disease in a population
What two characteristics is taxonomy based on? - Answers - 1) phenotype
2) genotype
What is phenotype? - Answers - physical features and functional traits of an organism
What is genotype? - Answers - the set of genes in its genome
'Eukarya' means: - Answers - 'true nucleus'.
, What are the four kingdoms of domain Eukarya? - Answers - 1) Protista (protozoa and
algae)
2) Plantae (plants)
3) Fungi (molds and yeasts)
4) Animalia (animals)
'Eubacteria' means: - Answers - 'true bacteria'.
What is the one kingdom of Eubacteria? - Answers - Monera (bacteria)
'Archaebacteria' means: - Answers - 'ancient bacteria'.
Are viruses included in the 3 Domain Classification Scheme? - Answers - No!
In the Kingdom Monera, what percent of all bacteria cause disease? - Answers - only
1%
The classification scheme splits living organisms into what two groups? - Answers - 1)
prokaryotes (single cell bacteria)
2) eukaryotes (everything else)
What do 'karyon', 'pro', and 'eu' mean, respectively? - Answers - 'nut', 'before', and 'true'
What is the order of the Linnaean System of Classification? - Answers - Kingdom,
Phylum (division), Class, Order, Family, Genus (Genera), Species (sp. or spp.)
Use the 'Kings Play Chess On Fine Green Stools' pneumonic to help you remember!
What are the three subtypes of species? - Answers - 1) strain
2) serotype
3) biotype
Strain (subspecies) is based on: - Answers - phenotypic differences.
Serotype (serovarieties) is based on: - Answers - serological differences.
Biotype (biovarieties) is based on: - Answers - biochemical differences.
Do eukaryotes reproduce asexually or sexually? - Answers - sexually
In eukaryotes, is each species reproductively isolated or not? - Answers - reproductively
isolated
In eukaryotes, because each species is reproductively isolated, they are: - Answers -
sexually incompatible.
