WGU D311 Microbiology OA Exam 2026 | All
Questions and Correct Answers (Detailed
Answers) | Verified Answers | Just Released
How does the complement system contribute to the innate immune response? ---
------CORRECT ANSWER-----------------It is composed of proteins that can be
activated by the presence of pathogens to form the membrane attack complex
(MAC).
Why are antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) considered an innate immune function? --
-------CORRECT ANSWER-----------------AMPs are produced both routinely and as a
response to pathogens.
Which terms refer to monocytes when they differentiate into tissue-specific
phagocytes? ---------CORRECT ANSWER-----------------Macrophages and dendritic
cells
What is specifically being reported if the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention reports 10,000 new cases of COVID-19? ---------CORRECT ANSWER------
-----------Incidence
,What is the difference between prevalence and incidence? ---------CORRECT
ANSWER-----------------Prevalence refers to the total number of infections;
incidence refers only to new cases.
Which term refers to a disease that occurs on a worldwide scale at a given time? -
--------CORRECT ANSWER-----------------Pandemic
Why are etiologic agents significant to epidemiologists? ---------CORRECT
ANSWER-----------------Etiologic agents are the pathogens that cause disease.
Which kind of diseases must be reported to the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention in order to prevent future pandemics? ---------CORRECT ANSWER--------
---------Notifiable diseases
How does the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) obtain the latest
data on typical illnesses to publish in the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report
(MMWR)? ---------CORRECT ANSWER-----------------Through mandatory reporting of
notifiable disease cases by healthcare providers
What can cause an infectious disease to become a reemerging disease? ---------
CORRECT ANSWER-----------------The responsible pathogen becomes drug resistant.
,What does the World Health Organization (WHO) do to prevent future
pandemics? ---------CORRECT ANSWER-----------------The WHO maintains a global
alert and response system from data from multiple countries.
A patient taking the antibiotic cephalexin for a urinary tract infection developed
severe diarrhea two days after completing the five-day course of treatment.
What is an explanation for the development of this patient's diarrhea? ---------
CORRECT ANSWER-----------------Cephalexin disrupted the normal intestinal
microbiome.
Store-bought, packaged soil used to promote rapid plant growth was accidentally
irradiated, thus killing the bacteria that had been in the soil.
Which impact would this have on farmers? ---------CORRECT ANSWER-----------------
Plants would die due to a lack of absorbable forms of nitrogen and phosphorus.
A hospital infection preventionist has instituted a policy to prevent nosocomial
infections.
Which guideline is an effective component of this policy? ---------CORRECT
ANSWER-----------------Healthcare personnel must wear personal protective
equipment at all times.
, A family and its dog were hiking and swimming in the woods. Two days later, each
family member developed a large bull's-eye lesion on their arm, and the dog
became anorexic and lethargic.
Which control measure will be helpful to prevent the development of a future
infection caused by the same microorganism? ---------CORRECT ANSWER-------------
----The family immediately checks themselves and the dog for ticks after returning
home.
A veterinarian diagnoses a dog with a zoonotic bacterial infection.
Which precautions should the veterinarian advise for the caretaker? ---------
CORRECT ANSWER-----------------Wash hands after touching the dog
Viral epidemics concern public health department officials because some infected
people do not show signs or symptoms of infection, whereas others have
prolonged prodromal periods.
What should public health officials do to minimize these causes for concern? ------
---CORRECT ANSWER-----------------Test people who are asymptomatic
A contagious respiratory feline virus may reactivate a latent infection months to
years after an initial infection.
Which implication does this have for the management of cats in animal shelters? -
--------CORRECT ANSWER-----------------Cats entering the shelter should be isolated
from other sheltered cats.
Questions and Correct Answers (Detailed
Answers) | Verified Answers | Just Released
How does the complement system contribute to the innate immune response? ---
------CORRECT ANSWER-----------------It is composed of proteins that can be
activated by the presence of pathogens to form the membrane attack complex
(MAC).
Why are antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) considered an innate immune function? --
-------CORRECT ANSWER-----------------AMPs are produced both routinely and as a
response to pathogens.
Which terms refer to monocytes when they differentiate into tissue-specific
phagocytes? ---------CORRECT ANSWER-----------------Macrophages and dendritic
cells
What is specifically being reported if the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention reports 10,000 new cases of COVID-19? ---------CORRECT ANSWER------
-----------Incidence
,What is the difference between prevalence and incidence? ---------CORRECT
ANSWER-----------------Prevalence refers to the total number of infections;
incidence refers only to new cases.
Which term refers to a disease that occurs on a worldwide scale at a given time? -
--------CORRECT ANSWER-----------------Pandemic
Why are etiologic agents significant to epidemiologists? ---------CORRECT
ANSWER-----------------Etiologic agents are the pathogens that cause disease.
Which kind of diseases must be reported to the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention in order to prevent future pandemics? ---------CORRECT ANSWER--------
---------Notifiable diseases
How does the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) obtain the latest
data on typical illnesses to publish in the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report
(MMWR)? ---------CORRECT ANSWER-----------------Through mandatory reporting of
notifiable disease cases by healthcare providers
What can cause an infectious disease to become a reemerging disease? ---------
CORRECT ANSWER-----------------The responsible pathogen becomes drug resistant.
,What does the World Health Organization (WHO) do to prevent future
pandemics? ---------CORRECT ANSWER-----------------The WHO maintains a global
alert and response system from data from multiple countries.
A patient taking the antibiotic cephalexin for a urinary tract infection developed
severe diarrhea two days after completing the five-day course of treatment.
What is an explanation for the development of this patient's diarrhea? ---------
CORRECT ANSWER-----------------Cephalexin disrupted the normal intestinal
microbiome.
Store-bought, packaged soil used to promote rapid plant growth was accidentally
irradiated, thus killing the bacteria that had been in the soil.
Which impact would this have on farmers? ---------CORRECT ANSWER-----------------
Plants would die due to a lack of absorbable forms of nitrogen and phosphorus.
A hospital infection preventionist has instituted a policy to prevent nosocomial
infections.
Which guideline is an effective component of this policy? ---------CORRECT
ANSWER-----------------Healthcare personnel must wear personal protective
equipment at all times.
, A family and its dog were hiking and swimming in the woods. Two days later, each
family member developed a large bull's-eye lesion on their arm, and the dog
became anorexic and lethargic.
Which control measure will be helpful to prevent the development of a future
infection caused by the same microorganism? ---------CORRECT ANSWER-------------
----The family immediately checks themselves and the dog for ticks after returning
home.
A veterinarian diagnoses a dog with a zoonotic bacterial infection.
Which precautions should the veterinarian advise for the caretaker? ---------
CORRECT ANSWER-----------------Wash hands after touching the dog
Viral epidemics concern public health department officials because some infected
people do not show signs or symptoms of infection, whereas others have
prolonged prodromal periods.
What should public health officials do to minimize these causes for concern? ------
---CORRECT ANSWER-----------------Test people who are asymptomatic
A contagious respiratory feline virus may reactivate a latent infection months to
years after an initial infection.
Which implication does this have for the management of cats in animal shelters? -
--------CORRECT ANSWER-----------------Cats entering the shelter should be isolated
from other sheltered cats.
