Chapter 6 Antiinfectives: Antibacterial Drugs
MULTIPLE CHOICE
BASIC CONCEPTS
1. Which type of bacteria cause infection when a patient’s immune system is impaired?
a. Pathogenic
b Nonpathogenic
.
c. Gram-negative
d Opportunistic
.
ANS: D
Pathogenic bacteria cause disease or tissue damage while nonpathogenic bacteria do not.
Opportunistic bacteria cause disease or tissue damage only when the immune system is not
working well.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Remembering REF: p. 115
2. What does the term ―virulence‖ mean?
a. Bacteria that do not cause infection or systemic disease
b How easily a bacterium can be killed by antibiotic therapy
.
c. How well bacteria can invade and spread within the body
d How many different types of bacteria an antibiotic can kill
.
ANS: C
Virulence is a measure of how well or efficiently a microorganism can gain entry into the body,
reproduce there, and make the host sick even when the host has a normal immune system. The
more virulent a bacterium is, the more dangerous it is and the harder it is to kill or eliminate.
,DIF: Cognitive Level: Remembering REF: p. 115
3. What is the main feature of an opportunistic infection?
a. It usually leads rapidly to sepsis.
b Children are not susceptible to this type of infection.
.
c. It is most often caused by pathogenic microorganisms.
d It is only found in people who are immunosuppressed.
.
ANS: D
We have many microorganisms that are on or in our bodies and do not cause an infection because
our immune systems are able to keep their numbers low and prevent them from moving beyond
their normal body location. For example, we all have E. coli in our intestinal tracts and this does
not cause us harm as long as our immune systems are working well. Even if a few E. coli leave
the intestinal tract and enter the blood or the urine, they usually do not cause an infection
because our immune systems get rid of these organisms when they are located where they do not
belong. However, a person with a suppressed or weak immune system may not be able to remove
or destroy these organisms when they are located outside of the intestinal tract and an infection
develops. This is called an opportunistic infection because the organism is taking advantage of
the host’s weakened immune system and using the opportunity to grow elsewhere in the body.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Remembering REF: p. 115
4. Which problem is a sign or symptom of an allergic or anaphylactic response to an
antibacterial drug?
a. Diarrhea
b Hair loss
.
c. High blood pressure
d Swelling of the face or lips
.
ANS: D
Most antibacterial drugs induce diarrhea when taken for a week or longer because they kill off so
many of the normal bacteria in the intestinal tract. This is not an allergy and the immune system
is taking no part in causing the diarrhea. Hair loss is not a common side effect of antibacterial
therapy nor is it an allergic reaction. When a true systemic allergic reaction occurs, it is usually
accompanied by low blood pressure because of widespread blood vessel dilation. This blood
vessel dilation of a true allergic response often causes swelling of the face, lips, and tongue.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Remembering REF: p. 117
, 5. Which drug category includes the penicillins?
a. Protein synthesis inhibitors
b Cell wall synthesis inhibitors
.
c. DNA synthesis inhibitors
d Metabolism inhibitors
.
ANS: B
The action of penicillin is disruption of the ability of a bacterium to make, repair, or maintain its
cell walls. So, penicillins belong to the cell wall synthesis inhibitor class of antibacterial drugs.
Penicillins do not interfere with the bacteria’s ability to make proteins, make DNA, or
metabolize.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Remembering REF: p. 118
6. Which drug is a first-generation cephalosporin?
a. Cefepime (Maxipime)
b Cefotaxime (Claforan)
.
c. Cefoxitin (Mefoxin)
d Cefazolin (Kefzol)
.
ANS: D
Only cefazolin (Kefzol) is a first-generation cephalosporin. The other drugs are all
cephalosporins but cefepime is fourth-generation, cefotaxime is third-generation, and cefoxitin is
second-generation.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Remembering REF: p. 121
7. Which two drug types have almost identical chemical structures?
a. Aminoglycosides and ―sulfa drugs‖
b Macrolides and fluoroquinolones
.
c. Penicillins and cephalosporins
d Tetracyclines and penicillins
.
ANS: C
MULTIPLE CHOICE
BASIC CONCEPTS
1. Which type of bacteria cause infection when a patient’s immune system is impaired?
a. Pathogenic
b Nonpathogenic
.
c. Gram-negative
d Opportunistic
.
ANS: D
Pathogenic bacteria cause disease or tissue damage while nonpathogenic bacteria do not.
Opportunistic bacteria cause disease or tissue damage only when the immune system is not
working well.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Remembering REF: p. 115
2. What does the term ―virulence‖ mean?
a. Bacteria that do not cause infection or systemic disease
b How easily a bacterium can be killed by antibiotic therapy
.
c. How well bacteria can invade and spread within the body
d How many different types of bacteria an antibiotic can kill
.
ANS: C
Virulence is a measure of how well or efficiently a microorganism can gain entry into the body,
reproduce there, and make the host sick even when the host has a normal immune system. The
more virulent a bacterium is, the more dangerous it is and the harder it is to kill or eliminate.
,DIF: Cognitive Level: Remembering REF: p. 115
3. What is the main feature of an opportunistic infection?
a. It usually leads rapidly to sepsis.
b Children are not susceptible to this type of infection.
.
c. It is most often caused by pathogenic microorganisms.
d It is only found in people who are immunosuppressed.
.
ANS: D
We have many microorganisms that are on or in our bodies and do not cause an infection because
our immune systems are able to keep their numbers low and prevent them from moving beyond
their normal body location. For example, we all have E. coli in our intestinal tracts and this does
not cause us harm as long as our immune systems are working well. Even if a few E. coli leave
the intestinal tract and enter the blood or the urine, they usually do not cause an infection
because our immune systems get rid of these organisms when they are located where they do not
belong. However, a person with a suppressed or weak immune system may not be able to remove
or destroy these organisms when they are located outside of the intestinal tract and an infection
develops. This is called an opportunistic infection because the organism is taking advantage of
the host’s weakened immune system and using the opportunity to grow elsewhere in the body.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Remembering REF: p. 115
4. Which problem is a sign or symptom of an allergic or anaphylactic response to an
antibacterial drug?
a. Diarrhea
b Hair loss
.
c. High blood pressure
d Swelling of the face or lips
.
ANS: D
Most antibacterial drugs induce diarrhea when taken for a week or longer because they kill off so
many of the normal bacteria in the intestinal tract. This is not an allergy and the immune system
is taking no part in causing the diarrhea. Hair loss is not a common side effect of antibacterial
therapy nor is it an allergic reaction. When a true systemic allergic reaction occurs, it is usually
accompanied by low blood pressure because of widespread blood vessel dilation. This blood
vessel dilation of a true allergic response often causes swelling of the face, lips, and tongue.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Remembering REF: p. 117
, 5. Which drug category includes the penicillins?
a. Protein synthesis inhibitors
b Cell wall synthesis inhibitors
.
c. DNA synthesis inhibitors
d Metabolism inhibitors
.
ANS: B
The action of penicillin is disruption of the ability of a bacterium to make, repair, or maintain its
cell walls. So, penicillins belong to the cell wall synthesis inhibitor class of antibacterial drugs.
Penicillins do not interfere with the bacteria’s ability to make proteins, make DNA, or
metabolize.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Remembering REF: p. 118
6. Which drug is a first-generation cephalosporin?
a. Cefepime (Maxipime)
b Cefotaxime (Claforan)
.
c. Cefoxitin (Mefoxin)
d Cefazolin (Kefzol)
.
ANS: D
Only cefazolin (Kefzol) is a first-generation cephalosporin. The other drugs are all
cephalosporins but cefepime is fourth-generation, cefotaxime is third-generation, and cefoxitin is
second-generation.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Remembering REF: p. 121
7. Which two drug types have almost identical chemical structures?
a. Aminoglycosides and ―sulfa drugs‖
b Macrolides and fluoroquinolones
.
c. Penicillins and cephalosporins
d Tetracyclines and penicillins
.
ANS: C
