CIC EXAM 2026 | COMPLETE
CERTIFICATION IN INFECTION CONTROL
STUDY GUIDE & PRACTICE QUESTIONS
| GRADED A+ | GUARANTEED SUCCESS
Updated 2026 Questions and Answers
100% Verified Exam Prep and Comprehensive
Rationales Included
,Chain of Infection 1)Infectious agent= organism with ability to cause disease; greater virulence,
invasiveness, and pathogenicity => increased odds of infection
2) Reservoir: place where microbes can persist and reproduce
3) Portal of Exit: way for microbe to leave the reservoir
4) Mode of transmission: method of microbe transfer from one place to another
5) Portal of entry: opening that allows microbe to enter host
6) Susceptible host: Lacks immunity or physical resistance to prevent invasion by
microbe
Is a circle; each link must be present in sequential order for infection to occur
Virulence Measure of microbe's ability to invade and create disease
Depends on ability to:
Survive in environment between hosts
Transmit between hosts (moving; adherence)
Proliferate
IgM Pentamer; primary response, short-lived (<6 months); best at fixing complement
IgG Monomer; main blood antibody, secondary response; longer lived. opsonization
and toxin neutralization. 4 subclasses
, Physical barriers Skin; fever; secreted antimicrobials; innate immunity
Complement system 11=protein cascade; classically activate by ab:ag complexes; alternate by
pathogen surfaces
Skin defects; examples and associated pathogens Wounds, burns, trauma, serious derm problems, indwelling devices, injections.
Skin flora- S. aureus, CNS, strep pyo, corynebacteria, malassezia furfur
Mucous membrane barrier defects; examples and chemo-induced mucositosis, head/neck trauma, smoking, inhalational injury,
associated pathogens antacids/PPIs. Resident flora- anaerobes, aerobic GNR, candida, enteroccus,
bovis
Body passage obstruction; examples and associated Tumors, foreign bodies, stones, cystic fibrosis. Resident flora overgrow or invade;
pathogens site-specific.
Abnormal number or function of granulocytes Leukemia, chemo, congenital disorders, diabetes. If short term (< 2 wks) then
aerobic GNR, Sa, CoNS. IF long term, add fungi (candida, t. glabrata, aspergillus)
Abnormalities of cell-mediated immunity BMT, HIV, steroids, malnutrition, 3rd tri pregnancy. Bacteria: Intracellular
pathogens (listeria, salmonella, mycobacteria, nocardia, legionella).
Fungi: candida, Cryptococcus, coccidioides, histoplasma. Virus: Herpes group
Also toxoplasma and strongyloides.
abnormalities of humoral immunity BMT, HIV, some cancers, aging. Strep pneumo, encapsulated H. flu, Neisseria
meningitidis
Preventing infection for immunocompromised patients Take thorough patient history. Prepare before starting with all vaccines,
procedures, line placement, screening. Support gastric acidity. Prevent exposures
with awesome hygiene, approp food and water precautions, visitor education, no
flowers or plants, and possible abx prophy (for infections that might reactivate or
high-risk for pneumocystis)
Mycoplasma spp. No cell wall --> limited abx choices. Cause atypical pneumonia. Usually diagnosed
by serology
Chlamydiae obligate intracellular parasites. Elementary body=infectious, reticulated=
intracellular. DFA or ELISA for detection of antigen is most common. Can also
detect antibodies.
Rickettsiae obligate intracellular parasites. arthropod vectors. Rarely culturing; detected by
serology using ELISA for antibodies.
CERTIFICATION IN INFECTION CONTROL
STUDY GUIDE & PRACTICE QUESTIONS
| GRADED A+ | GUARANTEED SUCCESS
Updated 2026 Questions and Answers
100% Verified Exam Prep and Comprehensive
Rationales Included
,Chain of Infection 1)Infectious agent= organism with ability to cause disease; greater virulence,
invasiveness, and pathogenicity => increased odds of infection
2) Reservoir: place where microbes can persist and reproduce
3) Portal of Exit: way for microbe to leave the reservoir
4) Mode of transmission: method of microbe transfer from one place to another
5) Portal of entry: opening that allows microbe to enter host
6) Susceptible host: Lacks immunity or physical resistance to prevent invasion by
microbe
Is a circle; each link must be present in sequential order for infection to occur
Virulence Measure of microbe's ability to invade and create disease
Depends on ability to:
Survive in environment between hosts
Transmit between hosts (moving; adherence)
Proliferate
IgM Pentamer; primary response, short-lived (<6 months); best at fixing complement
IgG Monomer; main blood antibody, secondary response; longer lived. opsonization
and toxin neutralization. 4 subclasses
, Physical barriers Skin; fever; secreted antimicrobials; innate immunity
Complement system 11=protein cascade; classically activate by ab:ag complexes; alternate by
pathogen surfaces
Skin defects; examples and associated pathogens Wounds, burns, trauma, serious derm problems, indwelling devices, injections.
Skin flora- S. aureus, CNS, strep pyo, corynebacteria, malassezia furfur
Mucous membrane barrier defects; examples and chemo-induced mucositosis, head/neck trauma, smoking, inhalational injury,
associated pathogens antacids/PPIs. Resident flora- anaerobes, aerobic GNR, candida, enteroccus,
bovis
Body passage obstruction; examples and associated Tumors, foreign bodies, stones, cystic fibrosis. Resident flora overgrow or invade;
pathogens site-specific.
Abnormal number or function of granulocytes Leukemia, chemo, congenital disorders, diabetes. If short term (< 2 wks) then
aerobic GNR, Sa, CoNS. IF long term, add fungi (candida, t. glabrata, aspergillus)
Abnormalities of cell-mediated immunity BMT, HIV, steroids, malnutrition, 3rd tri pregnancy. Bacteria: Intracellular
pathogens (listeria, salmonella, mycobacteria, nocardia, legionella).
Fungi: candida, Cryptococcus, coccidioides, histoplasma. Virus: Herpes group
Also toxoplasma and strongyloides.
abnormalities of humoral immunity BMT, HIV, some cancers, aging. Strep pneumo, encapsulated H. flu, Neisseria
meningitidis
Preventing infection for immunocompromised patients Take thorough patient history. Prepare before starting with all vaccines,
procedures, line placement, screening. Support gastric acidity. Prevent exposures
with awesome hygiene, approp food and water precautions, visitor education, no
flowers or plants, and possible abx prophy (for infections that might reactivate or
high-risk for pneumocystis)
Mycoplasma spp. No cell wall --> limited abx choices. Cause atypical pneumonia. Usually diagnosed
by serology
Chlamydiae obligate intracellular parasites. Elementary body=infectious, reticulated=
intracellular. DFA or ELISA for detection of antigen is most common. Can also
detect antibodies.
Rickettsiae obligate intracellular parasites. arthropod vectors. Rarely culturing; detected by
serology using ELISA for antibodies.
