ASCP Review Course

Question 1

What are the main organisms involved in bloodstream infections?

Answer 1

*S. aureus
*Coagulase-Negative Staph
*Streptococcus
*Enterococcus
*Enterobacteriaceae
*Pseudo aeruginosa
*Yeasts (candida, Crypto)

Question 2

How many blood culture sets should be collected within a 24 hour period?

Answer 2

No more than 3 sets should be collected
-used to rule out contamination
-break in skin infection-> S. epidermiditis

Question 3

What are the sources of fungal infections?

Answer 3

*superficial
*deep and systemic
*systemic

Question 4

Where do superficial fungal infections occur?

Answer 4

Infect the skin, hair, nails

Question 5

Where do deep & systemic fungal infections occur?

Answer 5

*respiratory tract
*bone
*tissue

Question 6

Where do systemic fungal infections occur?

Answer 6

*blood
*bone marrow

Question 7

What are the different groups of fungi?

Answer 7

*Dimorphic molds
*yeasts
*dermatophytes
*zygomycetes
*hyaline molds
*dermatiaceous molds

Question 8

what are the different yeasts that cause infections?

Answer 8

*Candida
*Cryptococcus
*Malassezia

Question 9

what are the different dimorphic molds that cause infections?

Answer 9

*Histoplasma
*Blastomyces
*Coccidoides
*Sporothrix
*Paracoccidoides
*Penicillium marneffei

Question 10

What are the different dermatophytes that cause infections?

Answer 10

*Trichophyton
*Microsporum
*Epidermophyton

Question 11

what are the different zygomycetes that cause infections?

Answer 11

*Mucor
*Rhizopus

Question 12

what are the different hyaline (brightly colored) molds that cause infections?

Answer 12

*Aspergillus
*Fusarium
*Penicllium

Question 13

what are the different dermatiaceous molds that cause infections?

Answer 13

*Alternaria
*Bipolaris
*Cladosporium
*Fonesecaea

Question 14

What infections does C. dubiniensis cause?

Answer 14

oral candidacies
in HIV + patients

Question 15

Where does C. albicans cause infections?

Answer 15

skin and mucosal areas:
mouth, vaginal tract, GI tract

Question 16

How does Cryptococcus neoformins look on India ink?

Answer 16

looks like it has a halo
polysaccharide capsule

Question 17

How is C. gatti distinguished from C. neoformins?

Answer 17

C. gatti grows on CGB agar, but C. neoformins does not

Question 18

What does the hyaline mold Aspergillus fumigates look like?

Answer 18

blue-green colonies
grows after 3 days
is velvety and powdery
grows at 45C

Question 19

What are the characteristics of Penicillium?

Answer 19

ends of conidiophore
branched and secondary branches
“brush-like” appearance

Question 20

What are the characteristics of Fusarium?

Answer 20

“sickle/canoe” macroconidia
is lavender pink on UTMB/FIPSE
causes corneal eye infections

Question 21

What are the characteristics of Alternaria?

Answer 21

has chaining macroconidia with longitudinal and transverse separations
saprophyte or contam
infections the nails and nasal sinuses
has a black pigment
(dermaticeous)

Question 22

what are the characteristics of the dimorphic mold coccidoides immitis?

Answer 22

“barrel-shaped” arthrospores with alternating empty cells
grows in 3-5 days
causes pulmonary disease in hot, arid, dry parts of SW USA, Mexico, and South America

Question 23

What are the characteristics of Histoplasma?

Answer 23

is the mold stage
has thick-walled macroconidia
is found in bird and bat droppings
has fluting

Question 24

What are the characteristics of Bastomyces dermatitis?

Answer 24

“balloon on a string”
found in the Mississippi and Ohio river valleys

Question 25

What are the characteristics of Sporothrix schenckii?

Answer 25

delicate macroconidia introduced through the skin from a prick from a rose bush

Question 26

what are the characteristics of M. canis?

Answer 26

has macroconidia that is "spindle-shaped" rough, thick-walled deep yellow pigment

Question 27

what are the characteristics of M. gypseum?

Answer 27

buff tan color powdery to granule

Question 28

What are the characteristics of Trycophyton?

Answer 28

macroconidia on hyphae round teardrop, peg-like mature in 10-12 days

Question 29

What are the characteristics of Rhizopus?

Answer 29

zygomycete broad hyphae nonseptate sporangium "cotton-candy"-like growth

Question 30

what are the biochemical reactions of B. fragilis?

Answer 30

20% bile agar KLVB growth VANC = R KANA = R COLISITIN = R INDOLE = (-)

Question 31

What are the top 5 causes of meningitis?

Answer 31

*S. pneumo *N. meningitidis *H. influenzae *E. coli *L. monocytogenes

Question 32

what are the pathogens in newborns?

Answer 32

<1 month old S. agalactiae E. coli L. monocytogenes

Question 33

what are the main pathogens in children and young adults?

Answer 33

S. pneumo H. influenzae N. meningitidis

Question 34

what are the main pathogens of the immunosuppressed and elderly?

Answer 34

S. pneumo L. monocytogenes

Question 35

what are the normal parameters for CSF?

Answer 35

0-5 WBCs lymphs and monos 50-75 GLUCOSE 15-45 PROTEIN

Question 36

what are the acute parameters of meningitis?

Answer 36

>1000 WBCs neutrophils GLUCOSE = decreased; 0-40 PROTEIN = increased; 100-500

Question 37

what are the aseptic parameters of meningitis?

Answer 37

100-500 WBCs lymphs normal to slight decrease in GLUCOSE normal to slight increase in PROTEIN

Question 38

what are the symptoms of meningitis?

Answer 38

stiff neck severe headaches red petechiae

Question 39

what are the biochemical reactions of N. meningitidis?

Answer 39

BAP = small gray colonies CHOC = small, gray colonies MAC = NG ox + cat + glucose and maltose +

Question 40

How is meningitis treated?

Answer 40

with 3rd generation cephalosporins *Cefotaxime *Ceftriaxone