1
WGU D311 MICROBIOLOGY OA EXAM WITH
COMPLETE QUESTIONS AND CORRECT VERIFIED
ANSWERS 2025-26 LATEST UPDATE
Which kind of diseases must be reported to the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention in order to prevent future pandemics? -ANS- 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)? -ANS-Through mandatory reporting of notifiable disease cases by
healthcare providers
What can cause an infectious disease to become a reemerging disease? -ANS-The
responsible pathogen becomes drug resistant.
What does the World Health Organization (WHO) do to prevent future
pandemics? -ANS-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.
,2
What is an explanation for the development of this patient's diarrhea? -ANS-
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? -ANS-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? -ANS-
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? -ANS-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? -ANS-Wash
hands after touching the dog
,3
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? -
ANS-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? -
ANS-Cats entering the shelter should be isolated from other sheltered cats.
Two spouses present to the emergency department because of difficulty
swallowing, facial weakness on both sides of the face, and trouble breathing after
consumption of spaghetti sauce made from canned tomatoes. The physician is
aware of reports of similarly affected patients in nearby communities.
What should be the physician's next step after treating these patients? -ANS-
Contact the state department of public health
The varicella-zoster virus (chicken pox) is endemic in the United States.
What should physicians do to optimally minimize the risk of disease due to this
virus? -ANS-Vaccinate those who have not already had chicken pox
Miami-Dade County public health officials confirmed transmission of Zika virus by
the local Aedes aegypti mosquito, but the virus had been previously transmitted
, 4
by mosquitoes only in Latin America and South America, where the virus is
endemic.
What can be done to mitigate the spread of the Zika virus so that it does not
become endemic in the United States? -ANS-Remove outdoor objects that may
accumulate water because they serve as mosquito reservoirs
Which factor determines the level of bioburden (microbial level) allowed and,
therefore, the microbial controls required for items used in a general healthcare
setting? -ANS-The application or use of the item
Which laboratory biosafety level would be used for managing work with an
organism of moderate risk that is native to the local area? -ANS- BSL-2
Which microbial control type can be used to completely eliminate all vegetative
bacteria, endospores, fungi, and viruses from an inanimate item? -ANS-
Sterilization
Which term describes the area specially created and maintained for performing
medical procedures that carry risk from contamination? -ANS- Sterile field
Which physical method of control works by removing microorganisms from a
liquid? -ANS-Filtration
WGU D311 MICROBIOLOGY OA EXAM WITH
COMPLETE QUESTIONS AND CORRECT VERIFIED
ANSWERS 2025-26 LATEST UPDATE
Which kind of diseases must be reported to the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention in order to prevent future pandemics? -ANS- 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)? -ANS-Through mandatory reporting of notifiable disease cases by
healthcare providers
What can cause an infectious disease to become a reemerging disease? -ANS-The
responsible pathogen becomes drug resistant.
What does the World Health Organization (WHO) do to prevent future
pandemics? -ANS-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.
,2
What is an explanation for the development of this patient's diarrhea? -ANS-
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? -ANS-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? -ANS-
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? -ANS-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? -ANS-Wash
hands after touching the dog
,3
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? -
ANS-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? -
ANS-Cats entering the shelter should be isolated from other sheltered cats.
Two spouses present to the emergency department because of difficulty
swallowing, facial weakness on both sides of the face, and trouble breathing after
consumption of spaghetti sauce made from canned tomatoes. The physician is
aware of reports of similarly affected patients in nearby communities.
What should be the physician's next step after treating these patients? -ANS-
Contact the state department of public health
The varicella-zoster virus (chicken pox) is endemic in the United States.
What should physicians do to optimally minimize the risk of disease due to this
virus? -ANS-Vaccinate those who have not already had chicken pox
Miami-Dade County public health officials confirmed transmission of Zika virus by
the local Aedes aegypti mosquito, but the virus had been previously transmitted
, 4
by mosquitoes only in Latin America and South America, where the virus is
endemic.
What can be done to mitigate the spread of the Zika virus so that it does not
become endemic in the United States? -ANS-Remove outdoor objects that may
accumulate water because they serve as mosquito reservoirs
Which factor determines the level of bioburden (microbial level) allowed and,
therefore, the microbial controls required for items used in a general healthcare
setting? -ANS-The application or use of the item
Which laboratory biosafety level would be used for managing work with an
organism of moderate risk that is native to the local area? -ANS- BSL-2
Which microbial control type can be used to completely eliminate all vegetative
bacteria, endospores, fungi, and viruses from an inanimate item? -ANS-
Sterilization
Which term describes the area specially created and maintained for performing
medical procedures that carry risk from contamination? -ANS- Sterile field
Which physical method of control works by removing microorganisms from a
liquid? -ANS-Filtration
