Galen NSG 3280 Pathophysiology for Nurses I: Practice Test 2
(Units 8-13) - Questions with Correct Answers
100 questions
1. An infection that spreads easily from one person to another is described as:
A. Opportunistic
B. Endogenous
C. Latent
D. Highly communicable
Correct Answer: D. Highly communicable
Rationale: Communicability reflects how easily a pathogen spreads, with measles being among the most
communicable. Opportunistic infections affect weakened hosts, endogenous infections arise from a
person's own flora, and latent infections are dormant.
2. Fever in an infected patient increases oxygen demand because:
A. Fever lowers metabolism
B. Metabolic rate rises about 7% for each degree Fahrenheit (about 10 to 13% per degree Celsius)
C. Fever reduces heart rate
D. Fever improves oxygen delivery only
Correct Answer: B. Metabolic rate rises about 7% for each degree Fahrenheit (about 10 to
13% per degree Celsius)
Rationale: Higher temperature increases metabolic and oxygen demand and heart rate, which can stress
patients with heart or lung disease. Fever does not lower metabolism or heart rate. This is why
antipyretics may be used in vulnerable patients.
3. The portal of exit for a pathogen refers to:
A. The route by which the organism leaves the host, such as respiratory secretions
B. Where the organism enters a new host
C. The organism's reservoir
D. The organism's incubation period
Correct Answer: A. The route by which the organism leaves the host, such as respiratory
secretions
Rationale: The chain of infection includes agent, reservoir, portal of exit, mode of transmission, portal of
entry and susceptible host. Respiratory secretions, blood and feces are common portals of exit. Covering
coughs targets this link.
,4. Colonization differs from infection in that colonization:
A. Involves microorganisms present on or in the body without tissue invasion or symptoms
B. Always causes fever
C. Requires antibiotic treatment
D. Is the same as active disease
Correct Answer: A. Involves microorganisms present on or in the body without tissue
invasion or symptoms
Rationale: People can be colonized with MRSA or group B strep without disease, though they can
transmit it or develop infection later. Infection involves invasion and a host response. Colonization usually
does not require treatment.
5. Viruses differ from bacteria in that viruses:
A. Must enter host cells and use host machinery to replicate
B. Can grow on simple culture media
C. Are killed by antibiotics
D. Have a peptidoglycan cell wall
Correct Answer: A. Must enter host cells and use host machinery to replicate
Rationale: Viruses are obligate intracellular parasites made of nucleic acid in a protein coat, sometimes
with an envelope. They are not affected by antibiotics, which target bacterial structures. Bacteria can grow
independently on media.
6. Allostatic load refers to:
A. The body's immediate fight-or-flight response
B. The cumulative wear and tear on the body from chronic or repeated stress
C. The amount of cortisol needed to survive
D. A type of allergic reaction
Correct Answer: B. The cumulative wear and tear on the body from chronic or repeated stress
Rationale: Repeated activation of stress systems over time contributes to hypertension, insulin
resistance, obesity and cardiovascular disease. It is not the acute response or an allergy. Social
determinants of health contribute to allostatic load.
,7. Stress-related mucosal disease (stress ulcers) in critically ill patients results from:
A. Excess vitamin intake
B. Increased mucus production
C. Helicobacter pylori in all cases
D. Reduced gastric mucosal blood flow and impaired protective mechanisms
Correct Answer: D. Reduced gastric mucosal blood flow and impaired protective mechanisms
Rationale: Shock and critical illness divert blood away from the gut, weakening the mucosal barrier
against acid, so high-risk ICU patients may receive acid suppression. H. pylori is not the main cause in
this setting.
8. Zoonotic infections are transmitted:
A. Only from person to person
B. Only through blood products
C. Only through food
D. From animals to humans
Correct Answer: D. From animals to humans
Rationale: Examples include rabies, Lyme disease and many emerging viruses. Vectors such as ticks or
direct contact with animals can transmit them. They are not limited to person-to-person spread.
9. Superinfection during antibiotic therapy occurs when:
A. The original infection becomes more susceptible
B. The patient develops an allergy
C. Normal flora are suppressed, allowing resistant or opportunistic organisms to overgrow
D. The antibiotic dose is too low
Correct Answer: C. Normal flora are suppressed, allowing resistant or opportunistic
organisms to overgrow
Rationale: Broad-spectrum antibiotics can lead to oral thrush, vaginal candidiasis or C. difficile colitis. It is
not an allergy and does not require low dosing to occur. Using narrow-spectrum antibiotics reduces risk.
, 10. Tuberculosis is transmitted primarily by:
A. Airborne droplet nuclei that remain suspended in the air
B. Direct contact with skin
C. Contaminated food
D. Mosquito bites
Correct Answer: A. Airborne droplet nuclei that remain suspended in the air
Rationale: TB requires airborne precautions with a negative-pressure room and N95 respirators because
tiny droplet nuclei can travel and remain suspended. It is not spread by skin contact, food or insects.
11. Hepatitis A, norovirus, and many diarrheal pathogens are transmitted mainly by the:
A. Airborne route
B. Fecal-oral route
C. Bloodborne route
D. Vector-borne route
Correct Answer: B. Fecal-oral route
Rationale: These pathogens spread through contaminated food, water and hands, so handwashing and
safe food handling prevent outbreaks. Norovirus is very contagious and resists some sanitizers. Blood
and airborne routes are not primary for these organisms.
12. The hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis responds to stress through which sequence?
A. ACTH stimulates CRH, which stimulates insulin
B. Cortisol stimulates the hypothalamus to release ADH only
C. CRH from the hypothalamus stimulates ACTH from the pituitary, which stimulates cortisol from the
adrenal cortex
D. The adrenal medulla releases ACTH
Correct Answer: C. CRH from the hypothalamus stimulates ACTH from the pituitary, which
stimulates cortisol from the adrenal cortex
Rationale: CRH triggers anterior pituitary ACTH release, and ACTH stimulates cortisol from the adrenal
cortex; cortisol then provides negative feedback. The adrenal medulla releases catecholamines, not
ACTH.
(Units 8-13) - Questions with Correct Answers
100 questions
1. An infection that spreads easily from one person to another is described as:
A. Opportunistic
B. Endogenous
C. Latent
D. Highly communicable
Correct Answer: D. Highly communicable
Rationale: Communicability reflects how easily a pathogen spreads, with measles being among the most
communicable. Opportunistic infections affect weakened hosts, endogenous infections arise from a
person's own flora, and latent infections are dormant.
2. Fever in an infected patient increases oxygen demand because:
A. Fever lowers metabolism
B. Metabolic rate rises about 7% for each degree Fahrenheit (about 10 to 13% per degree Celsius)
C. Fever reduces heart rate
D. Fever improves oxygen delivery only
Correct Answer: B. Metabolic rate rises about 7% for each degree Fahrenheit (about 10 to
13% per degree Celsius)
Rationale: Higher temperature increases metabolic and oxygen demand and heart rate, which can stress
patients with heart or lung disease. Fever does not lower metabolism or heart rate. This is why
antipyretics may be used in vulnerable patients.
3. The portal of exit for a pathogen refers to:
A. The route by which the organism leaves the host, such as respiratory secretions
B. Where the organism enters a new host
C. The organism's reservoir
D. The organism's incubation period
Correct Answer: A. The route by which the organism leaves the host, such as respiratory
secretions
Rationale: The chain of infection includes agent, reservoir, portal of exit, mode of transmission, portal of
entry and susceptible host. Respiratory secretions, blood and feces are common portals of exit. Covering
coughs targets this link.
,4. Colonization differs from infection in that colonization:
A. Involves microorganisms present on or in the body without tissue invasion or symptoms
B. Always causes fever
C. Requires antibiotic treatment
D. Is the same as active disease
Correct Answer: A. Involves microorganisms present on or in the body without tissue
invasion or symptoms
Rationale: People can be colonized with MRSA or group B strep without disease, though they can
transmit it or develop infection later. Infection involves invasion and a host response. Colonization usually
does not require treatment.
5. Viruses differ from bacteria in that viruses:
A. Must enter host cells and use host machinery to replicate
B. Can grow on simple culture media
C. Are killed by antibiotics
D. Have a peptidoglycan cell wall
Correct Answer: A. Must enter host cells and use host machinery to replicate
Rationale: Viruses are obligate intracellular parasites made of nucleic acid in a protein coat, sometimes
with an envelope. They are not affected by antibiotics, which target bacterial structures. Bacteria can grow
independently on media.
6. Allostatic load refers to:
A. The body's immediate fight-or-flight response
B. The cumulative wear and tear on the body from chronic or repeated stress
C. The amount of cortisol needed to survive
D. A type of allergic reaction
Correct Answer: B. The cumulative wear and tear on the body from chronic or repeated stress
Rationale: Repeated activation of stress systems over time contributes to hypertension, insulin
resistance, obesity and cardiovascular disease. It is not the acute response or an allergy. Social
determinants of health contribute to allostatic load.
,7. Stress-related mucosal disease (stress ulcers) in critically ill patients results from:
A. Excess vitamin intake
B. Increased mucus production
C. Helicobacter pylori in all cases
D. Reduced gastric mucosal blood flow and impaired protective mechanisms
Correct Answer: D. Reduced gastric mucosal blood flow and impaired protective mechanisms
Rationale: Shock and critical illness divert blood away from the gut, weakening the mucosal barrier
against acid, so high-risk ICU patients may receive acid suppression. H. pylori is not the main cause in
this setting.
8. Zoonotic infections are transmitted:
A. Only from person to person
B. Only through blood products
C. Only through food
D. From animals to humans
Correct Answer: D. From animals to humans
Rationale: Examples include rabies, Lyme disease and many emerging viruses. Vectors such as ticks or
direct contact with animals can transmit them. They are not limited to person-to-person spread.
9. Superinfection during antibiotic therapy occurs when:
A. The original infection becomes more susceptible
B. The patient develops an allergy
C. Normal flora are suppressed, allowing resistant or opportunistic organisms to overgrow
D. The antibiotic dose is too low
Correct Answer: C. Normal flora are suppressed, allowing resistant or opportunistic
organisms to overgrow
Rationale: Broad-spectrum antibiotics can lead to oral thrush, vaginal candidiasis or C. difficile colitis. It is
not an allergy and does not require low dosing to occur. Using narrow-spectrum antibiotics reduces risk.
, 10. Tuberculosis is transmitted primarily by:
A. Airborne droplet nuclei that remain suspended in the air
B. Direct contact with skin
C. Contaminated food
D. Mosquito bites
Correct Answer: A. Airborne droplet nuclei that remain suspended in the air
Rationale: TB requires airborne precautions with a negative-pressure room and N95 respirators because
tiny droplet nuclei can travel and remain suspended. It is not spread by skin contact, food or insects.
11. Hepatitis A, norovirus, and many diarrheal pathogens are transmitted mainly by the:
A. Airborne route
B. Fecal-oral route
C. Bloodborne route
D. Vector-borne route
Correct Answer: B. Fecal-oral route
Rationale: These pathogens spread through contaminated food, water and hands, so handwashing and
safe food handling prevent outbreaks. Norovirus is very contagious and resists some sanitizers. Blood
and airborne routes are not primary for these organisms.
12. The hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis responds to stress through which sequence?
A. ACTH stimulates CRH, which stimulates insulin
B. Cortisol stimulates the hypothalamus to release ADH only
C. CRH from the hypothalamus stimulates ACTH from the pituitary, which stimulates cortisol from the
adrenal cortex
D. The adrenal medulla releases ACTH
Correct Answer: C. CRH from the hypothalamus stimulates ACTH from the pituitary, which
stimulates cortisol from the adrenal cortex
Rationale: CRH triggers anterior pituitary ACTH release, and ACTH stimulates cortisol from the adrenal
cortex; cortisol then provides negative feedback. The adrenal medulla releases catecholamines, not
ACTH.
