Questions: NCLEX & Allied Health
Focused Review
Complete review of microbial structure, immunity, infection, and body
system diseases—ideal for nursing, pre-med, and health science students
Table of Contents for Chapters 1–26, showing each chapter’s main topic and its primary sub-topics:
Chapter Title Primary Sub-topics
The Early Years of Microbiology; The Golden Age of Microbiology;
A Brief History of
1 What Causes Fermentation?; What Causes Disease?; How Can We
Microbiology
Prevent Infection and Disease?; The Modern Age of Microbiology
The Chemistry of Atoms & Atomic Structure; Chemical Bonds; Chemical Reactions;
2
Microbiology Water, Acids, Bases & Salts; Organic Macromolecules
Prokaryotic vs. Eukaryotic Cells; External Structures of Bacteria &
Cell Structure and
3 Archaea; Cell Walls & Membranes; Transport Processes; Cytoplasm
Function
& Organelles
Units of Measurement; Light, Electron & Probe Microscopy;
Microscopy, Staining, and
4 Staining Techniques; Classification & Identification of
Classification
Microorganisms
Catabolism & Anabolism; Enzyme Structure & Regulation;
5 Microbial Metabolism Carbohydrate Catabolism; Fermentation & Other Pathways;
Photosynthesis; Anabolic Pathways; Metabolic Integration
Microbial Nutrition and Nutrient & Physical Requirements; Culturing Techniques & Media;
6
Growth Population Growth & Phases; Measurement of Growth
Genome Structure & Replication; Transcription & Translation;
7 Microbial Genetics Operon Regulation; Mutations & DNA Repair; Horizontal Gene
Transfer
Tools of rDNA (PCR, Restriction Enzymes, Vectors, CRISPR); Cloning
Recombinant DNA
8 & Gel/Electrophoresis; Applications (Therapeutics, Agriculture,
Technology
Genomics); Ethics & Safety
,Chapter Title Primary Sub-topics
Controlling Microbial Principles & Death Rates; Physical Methods (Heat, Filtration,
9
Growth (Environment) Radiation); Chemical Methods; Evaluating Disinfectants; Resistance
History & Mechanisms of Action; Clinical Considerations (Spectrum,
10 Antimicrobial Drugs MIC/MBC, Safety); Routes of Administration; Resistance &
Prevention
Prokaryotic Morphology & Reproduction; Archaea (Extremophiles);
Characterizing &
11 Survey of Bacterial Groups (Gram-positive & Proteobacteria;
Classifying Prokaryotes
Others)
Characterizing & Protozoa; Fungi; Algae; Parasitic Helminths & Vectors;
12
Classifying Eukaryotes Reproductive & Nuclear Division
Characterizing &
Virus Structure & Classification; Bacteriophage & Animal Virus
13 Classifying Viruses,
Cycles; Culture Methods; Viroids & Prions
Viroids & Prions
Symbiosis & Microbiome; Portals of Entry/Exit; Virulence Factors;
Infection, Infectious
14 Disease Stages; Transmission; Epidemiological Methods;
Diseases & Epidemiology
Nosocomial Infections
First-Line Defenses (Skin, Mucosa, Peptides); Second-Line Defenses
15 Innate Immunity
(Phagocytosis, NK Cells, Complement, Inflammation, Fever)
Lymphatic System & Antigens; T-Cell & B-Cell Development;
16 Adaptive Immunity Antibody Structure & Function; Cell-Mediated vs. Humoral
Responses; Immunological Memory
Immunization & Vaccine Types & Manufacture; Passive Immunotherapy; Serological
17
Diagnostic Immunoassays Tests (Precipitation, Agglutination, Neutralization, ELISA, Blots)
Hypersensitivity Types I–IV; Autoimmune Diseases; Primary &
18 Immune Disorders
Acquired Immunodeficiencies (including HIV/AIDS)
Skin Structure & Microbiome; Bacterial (Staph, Strep,
Microbial Diseases of the
19 Pseudomonas, Anthrax, etc.); Viral (Pox, Herpes, Measles, etc.);
Skin & Wounds
Mycoses & Parasitic Infestations
Nervous System Anatomy; Bacterial (Meningitis, Botulism, Tetanus,
Microbial Diseases of the
20 Leprosy); Viral (Rabies, Poliomyelitis, Arboviruses, Zika); Fungal,
Nervous System & Eyes
Protozoan & Prion Diseases; Ocular Infections
,Chapter Title Primary Sub-topics
Cardio-Lymphatic Anatomy; Bacterial (Septicemia, Endocarditis,
Microbial Cardiovascular
21 Plague, Lyme); Viral (Yellow Fever, Dengue, Mononucleosis);
& Systemic Diseases
Protozoan/Helminthic (Malaria, Chagas, Schistosomiasis)
Microbial Diseases of the Respiratory Anatomy & Microbiome; Bacterial URT & LRT Diseases;
22
Respiratory System Viral URT & LRT Diseases; Lower Respiratory Mycoses
Digestive Anatomy & Microbiome; Bacterial (Gastroenteritis, Ulcer
Microbial Diseases of the
23 Disease, Food Poisoning); Viral (Hepatitis, Gastroenteritis);
Digestive System
Protozoan & Helminthic Intestinal Diseases
Microbial Diseases of the Urinary & Reproductive Anatomy & Microbiome; UTIs &
24 Urinary & Reproductive Leptospirosis; STIs (Bacterial, Viral, Protozoan); Non-venereal
Systems Reproductive Infections
Applied & Industrial Food Fermentation & Spoilage; Industrial Fermentations &
25
Microbiology Products; Biosensors; Water Treatment & Pollution Control
Environmental Associations & Biogeochemical Cycles; Soil &
Microbial Ecology &
26 Aquatic Microbiology; Bioremediation; Biological Warfare &
Microbiomes
Bioterrorism
.
,Chapter 1: A Brief History of Microbiology (5th Ed., Bauman).
1. The Early Years of Microbiology (3 Questions)
1.1 The first person to observe and describe “animalcules”
(microorganisms) in pond water using a microscope was:
A. Louis Pasteur
B. Anton van Leeuwenhoek
C. Robert Koch
D. Edward Jenner
Rationale:
B Leeuwenhoek’s handcrafted microscopes revealed
bacteria and protozoa.
A, C, and D came much later and did not first describe
microorganisms.
1.2 Which development most directly enabled the birth of
microbiology as a science?
A. Gram staining
B. Improved lens grinding for microscopes
C. Pasteur’s swan-neck flask
D. Koch’s culture techniques
Rationale:
B Better lenses allowed visualization of microbes.
A and D are classification and culture methods that came
after seeing them.
, C disproved spontaneous generation but followed initial
observations.
1.3 In the 17th century, Antony van Leeuwenhoek’s
observations were met with skepticism because:
A. His microscopes were faulty
B. He refused to share his methods
C. People could not believe that tiny “animals” existed
D. He did not publish in Latin
Rationale:
C The concept of invisible life forms was hard to accept.
A is false—his lenses were excellent.
B and D did not significantly hinder acceptance.
2. Microbial Classification: Bacteria, Archaea, Fungi, Protozoa,
Algae (4 Questions)
2.1 Which group contains prokaryotic organisms with unique
membrane lipids and no peptidoglycan in their cell walls?
A. Bacteria
B. Fungi
C. Protozoa
D. Archaea
Rationale:
, D Archaea lack peptidoglycan and have ether-linked lipids.
A have peptidoglycan; B and C are eukaryotes.
2.2 Which characteristic is shared by fungi but not by protozoa?
A. Motility
B. Chitin in the cell wall
C. Heterotrophy
D. Eukaryotic cell structure
Rationale:
B Many fungi have chitin walls; protozoa lack cell walls.
A can apply to some protozoa; C and D apply to both
groups.
2.3 Photosynthetic, eukaryotic microbes with cellulose cell
walls and chloroplasts belong to:
A. Protozoa
B. Bacteria
C. Algae
D. Archaea
Rationale:
C Algae are photosynthetic eukaryotes.
A are nonphotosynthetic; B and D are prokaryotes.
,2.4 A nursing student notes a microbe that thrives in hot
springs. It most likely belongs to:
A. Fungi
B. Archaea
C. Algae
D. Protozoa
Rationale:
B Many archaea are thermophiles.
A, C, D prefer moderate temperatures.
3. Spontaneous Generation Experiments (Redi, Needham,
Spallanzani, Pasteur) (4 Questions)
3.1 Francesco Redi’s experiment with meat and flies
demonstrated that:
A. Boiling destroys all microorganisms
B. Life arises spontaneously from nonliving matter
C. Maggots come only from fly eggs
D. Sealed flasks prevent microbial growth
Rationale:
C Covered meat did not develop maggots.
A, D are later findings; B is what his work disproved.
,3.2 John Needham’s canned broth developed microbes because
he:
A. Filtered the air
B. Used sealed flasks
C. Didn’t boil long enough
D. Used antiseptic
Rationale:
C His brief boiling failed to kill spores.
A, D irrelevant; B alone doesn’t kill spores without
vigorous heat.
3.3 Lazzaro Spallanzani improved on Needham by showing that:
A. Microbes arise spontaneously
B. Extended boiling and sealing prevented growth
C. Pasteurization kills all microbes
D. Germ theory of disease
Rationale:
B He boiled longer and sealed flasks, no growth occurred.
A, C, D are unrelated to his specific design.
3.4 Louis Pasteur’s swan-neck flask experiment finally
disproved spontaneous generation by:
A. Exposing broth to open air
B. Trapping dust in the curve while allowing air in
, C. Sealing with paraffin
D. Adding yeast cells
Rationale:
B Air could enter but particulates trapped; broth remained
sterile.
A and C were earlier methods; D demonstrates
fermentation, not generation.
4. The Scientific Method (3 Questions)
4.1 In the scientific method, the first step is usually to:
A. Formulate a hypothesis
B. Analyze data
C. Make an observation
D. Draw conclusions
Rationale:
C Observation sparks a question.
A follows observation; B and D come later.
4.2 A nurse researcher predicts that hand hygiene will reduce
hospital-acquired infections. This statement is a:
A. Observation
B. Hypothesis