Final Exam Questions Flashcards
What value is most closely tied to transmission?
beta
What is a disease’s R0?
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intrinsic growth rate
What is the causative agent of the black plague?
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Yersinia pestis
What does the R stand for in SIR models?
Recovered host
A primary conclusion from the study of malaria genomics is that…
a. Malaria has evolved into several species in humans
b. Malaria was acquired from rodents
c. The different species of malaria were acquired by humans from different primates
d. At least some species of malaria were acquired from humans via birds
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c. The different species of malaria were acquired by humans from different primates
What is the most appropriate term for an infectious disease that has spread through a vast area, such as several continents or the whole world, and has affected a large number of people?
a. Epidemic
b. Endemic
c. Pandemic
d. Emetic
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c. Pandemic
Which of the following is NOT a zoonotic disease?
a. The Plague
b. West Nile virus
c. HIV
d. Trick question: all of the above are zoonotic
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d. Trick question: all of the above are zoonotic
What variables need to be taken into consideration when constructing an SIR model?
Hint: 8 things
-Births
-Deaths
-Susceptible hosts
-Transmission
-Infected hosts
-Recovery
-Recovered hosts
-Loss of Immunity
Based on your understanding of SIR models, how are they likely to be used in epidemiology?
a. Predict the timeline of infections
b. Assess the rate at which resistance will spread within a population
c. Model transmission of diseases of differing virulence
d. All of the above
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d. All of the above
How did Iceland, Finland, Milan, and Nuremburg avoid the first wave of the plague?
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Geography, Draconian preventative measures (stop travel and board up houses of infected individuals), higher overall sanitation
What characterizes the septicemic version of plague?
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Blood infection
How are zoonotic diseases transmitted to humans?
From animals to humans
In 1993, Milwaukee had an outbreak of gastrointestinal disease. What was the name of the organism that caused this outbreak?
a. Cryptosporidium
b. Vibrio cholerae
c. Giardia
d. Yersinia pestis
a. Cryptosporidium
What is the name of the microorganism that is the causative agent of amebic dysentery?
a. Entamoeba
b. Giardia
c. Vibrio cholerae
d. Yersinia pestis
e. Cryptosporidium
a. Entamoeba
Diseases that are always present in a community usually at low, more or less constant, frequency are classified as….
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endemic
A disease vector is a(n)….
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Organism, usually an arthropod, that transmits a disease
The anopheline mosquitoes originally fed on which animal before moving to humans?
cattle
Which disease is caused by Plasmodium spp.?
malaria
What is least likely to allow for a disease to transmit effectively?
a. Using a vector as a mode of transmission
b. Having infection windows where the host is asymptomatic
c. Being extremely pathogenic and causing rapid host death
d. Is not very pathogenic to the host and there is high recovery
e. Being capable of infecting multiple species
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c. Being extremely pathogenic and causing rapid host death
How is the black plague transmitted?
a. Infected rat feces
b. Fleas infected with Yersinia pestis
c. Inhalation of infected droplets from someone with pneumonic plague
d. All of the above
e. Both b and c
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e. Both b and c
Which is not a type of black plague?
a. Bubonic
b. Necrotic
c. Septicemic
d. Pneumonic
e. They are all black plague variants
b. Necrotic
Florence Nightingale was an English social reformer, statistician, and founder of modern…
nursing
This infection of the intestines results in severe diarrhea with the presence of blood and mucus in the feces. This condition is brought about by the microorganism Entamoeba and is common in tropical areas with untreated water. _______________ can be spread through consuming uncooked food and contaminated drinking water.
a. Hepatitis
b. Cholera
c. Measles
d. Dysentery
d. Dysentery
In the simplest SIR models, after an individual has recovered from an infection….
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Immunity from that infection is permanent
Which of the following is not an important component of SIR models?
a. Host susceptibility
b. The rate at which new hosts get infected
c. Host recovery
d. Host mortality due to disease
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d. Host mortality due to disease
Intrinsic growth rate (R0)….
a. Must be greater than 1 for a disease to spread
b. Must be less than 1 for a disease to spread
c. Must be equal to 1 for a disease to spread
d. Must be equal to zero for a disease to spread
a. Must be greater than 1 for a disease to spread
Which of the following factors have contributed to the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic?
a. High prevalence of asymptomatic carriers
b. Long incubation period
c. Globalization: unrestricted movement of people
d. All of the above
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d. All of the above
Which of the following predicts that newly-acquired zoonotic pathogens tend to start off highly virulent but eventually evolve towards being less virulent?
a. Microbial coevolution theory
b. Hygiene hypothesis
c. Microbial diversity hypothesis
d. Old Friends hypothesis
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d. Old Friends hypothesis
How does vaccination (i.e., immunization) affect the SIR model?
a. Number of susceptible hosts increases, and number of infected population decreases
b. R0 of infectious disease decreases as number of recovered population increases
c. Number of susceptible hosts decreases in proportion to natural birth/death ratio
d. Number of recovered population increases as number of infected population decreases
e. Both c and d
e. Both c and d
When using the SIRS model, how was the infectious period related to the recovery rate?
As the infectious period increases, the recovery rate decreases
Identify the species of malaria that is responsible for most of the mortality associated with the disease.
a. P. falciparum
b. P. vivax
c. P. malariae
d. P. ovale
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a. P. falciparum
Identify the historical figure who died from the respiratory illness he/she initially discovered
a. Clara Barton
b. Michelle Williams
c. T.K Takaki
d. Carlo Urbani
d. Carlo Urbani
Survivors of which plague pass on a genetic mutation that makes carriers immune to HIV?
bubonic plague
Which disease is classified as a neglected tropical disease?
a. Influenza A
b. Heart disease
c. Tetanus
d. Dengue hemorrhagic fever
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d. Dengue hemorrhagic fever
In order for a disease to be transmissible, what must be true?
a. an index case is present
b. an R0 > 1
c. a population of susceptible individuals
d. all of the above
d. all of the above
What SIR group does a person who has been vaccinated fall into?
test q
R-recovered
What factors have likely lowered the transmission rate for COVID-19?
A) quarantine
B) social distancing
C) wearing a mask
D) all of the above
D) all of the above
Which of the following historical figures was known as the “Father of Hand Hygiene?”
a. Edward Jenner
b. Louis Pasteur
c. Ignaz Semmelweis
d. John Graunt
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c. Ignaz Semmelweis
Which of the following was not a reason some European countries had a slower spread during the Plague?
a. Geographic location
b. Strict quarantine measures
c. Involvement in major Mediterranean trade routes
d. Clean streets, fewer animals roaming the streets
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c. Involvement in major Mediterranean trade routes
The black plague will always be remembered as one of the deadliest epidemiological events in history, however, there was one good thing that came out of the black plague—a gene mutation that leads to HIV immunity. What is that mutated gene?
test q
CCR5
Which historical figure and their achievement are incorrectly paired?
a. Louis Pasteur—the rabies vaccine
b. John Snow—tracking and stopping the Cholera outbreak in Britain
c. Robert Koch—Developing criteria for connecting a disease to an specific pathogen
d. Alice Hamilton—Founder of modern nursing
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d. Alice Hamilton—Founder of modern nursing
Which of the following statements about virulence is incorrect?
a. Pathogens will always evolve towards decreased virulence
b. Surrogates are used to assess virulence
c. Virulence and damage to host are related
d. Virulence considers the amount of pathogens present as well as harm done to the host
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a. Pathogens will always evolve towards decreased virulence
How did Milan stave off the Black Plague for as long as they did?
a. Despotic rule by the Visconti
b. It was geographically isolated
c. It was a very hygienic city
d. It did not have a major port for oversea trade
a. Despotic rule by the Visconti
Introducing sustainable crops such as rice in Kenya and Tanzania led to a malaria outbreak. Which of these was NOT a contributing factor to the outbreak?
a. Displacement of the antelopes and other wildlife that were reservoirs for the disease
b. Decreased habitat for the mosquito vector species
c. Displacement of cattle
d. Alteration of the ecological environment
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b. Decreased habitat for the mosquito vector species
What is the name of the major hookworm species in the Americas?
a. Caenorhabditis elegans
b. Ascaris lumbricoides
c. Enterobius vermicularis
d. Necator americanus
d. Necator americanus
Which is the least common variety of plague but the most infectious?
Pneumonic
Vibrio cholerae is a pathogenic organism that causes severe dehydration of the affected individual and it can lead to death. What sanitary precautions were taken to stop the spread of cholera in London in the mid-1800s?
a. Social distancing (6 feet distance) and preventive 14-day isolation post-travel
b. Blocking access to water suspected of being contaminated
c. Boiling water before drinking it
d. Drinking chamomile tea along
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b. Blocking access to water suspected of being contaminated
Plasmodium falciparum “jumped” into humans from what species?
test q
Gorillas
Which of the following are incorrectly paired?
A) Wakefield – anti-vaccination movement
B) Koch – postulates
C) Jesty – scurvy
D) Semmelweis – childbed fever
C) Jesty – scurvy
Why does the proportion of I (infectious) individuals typically trend to zero in SIR models?
a. Overall population size drops to zero due to disease-associated mortality.
b. Proportion of susceptible population decreases and proportion of recovered individuals increases, reducing transmission rates.
c. Infected (= infectious) individuals all die.
d. R0 of infectious diseases is generally low.
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b. Proportion of susceptible population decreases and proportion of recovered individuals increases, reducing transmission rates
Quarantine measures such as lockdowns prevent / slow epidemics because they….
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minimize beta
Clara Barton is best known for….
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Founding the American Red Cross
Valerie Apgar is best known for….
Work on assessment of infants
In terms of their importance in disease transmission, insect vectors are more common in _____________, whereas animal reservoirs are more common in ____________
tropical zones, temperate zones
What do you call a disease someone is born with?
Congenital
Which factors are included in the disease triangle?
a) agent
b) environment
c) host
d) all of the above
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d) all of the above
What is a vehicle?
An object in the environment that directly introduces the pathogen to the patient
The term that describes the ability to get into a susceptible host is described as ______________?
Invasiveness
The first disease case in the population is known as ___________?
test q
Primary Case
The sickle-cell trait is one that is more common in some African populations. This trait allows for protection against _____________?
Plasmodium
Which answer represents the correct flow of disease transmission to recovery?
a.) Transmission -> Susceptible Host -> Infected Host -> Recovery -> Recovered Host
b.) Susceptible Host -> Transmission -> Infected Host -> Recovery -> Recovered Host
c.) Susceptible Host -> Transmission -> Infected Host -> Recovered Host -> Recovery
d.) Infected Host -> Susceptible Host -> Transmission -> Recovery -> Recovered Host
b.) Susceptible Host -> Transmission -> Infected Host -> Recovery -> Recovered Host
Typhoid Mary was a carrier of what causative agent, that affected many individuals who ingested the meals she produced?
a. Cryptosporidium maryi
b. Rickettsia prowazekii
c. Rickettsia typhi
d. Salmonella typhi
d. Salmonella typhi
What act was passed thanks to Alice Hamilton’s work in industrial medicine?
a. Occupational Safety and Health Act
b. Safe Medical Devices Act of 1990
c. Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005
d. Work and Safety Act of 2001
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a. Occupational Safety and Health Act
_____________, was the scientist that demonstrated the anaphylaxis reaction through animal models.
a. Isaac Newton
b. Robert Hooke
c. Theobolt Smith
d. Robert Boyle
c. Theobolt Smith
An infected organism in the environment that serves as a source of new infections is known as….
Reservoir
A fomite can be ____________
a. A stairwell railing
b. An infected person
c. A doorknob
d. All of the above
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d. All of the above
What is the definition of direct transmission?
a. Transmission through object or surface
b. Transmission through human-to-human contact
c. Transmission through sexual transmission
d. Both b & c
d. Both b & c
Which of these is a vector?
a. A door handle
b. Droplets
c. A pen
d. A tick
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d. A tick
Who is generally considered the pioneer of vaccination?
a. Benjamin Jesty
b. Edward Jenner
c. Chris Wallace
d. Anthony Fauci
b. Edward Jenner
What are some of the factors that might increase the chance of an animal disease “jumping” to humans?
a) Human incursions into rural and forested areas
b) Changes in habits such as deforestation
c) Close contact between humans and animals
d) All of the above
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d) All of the above
Malaria is caused by a parasite in what group?
a) Anaplasma
b) Mycoplasma
c) Apicomplexa
d) Bacteria
c) Apicomplexa
What are the three components of the disease triangle?
Environment, pathogen, and host
What is the definitive host of Toxoplasma?
cats
What outbreak likely generated evolutionary selection favoring individuals with a mutated CCR5 Δ32 gene?
Black plague
Disease is defined as…..
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An interruption, cessation, or disorder of body functions, systems or organ
Bernardino Ramazzini developed the branch of medicine that pertains to preventing and treating job-related injuries and illnesses. He observed workers and talked to them about their day-to-day activities, which helped him to write his book “Diseases of Workers”. For this reason he is sometimes referred to as the Father of ___________________.
Occupational Medicine
Beriberi involves deficiency of what dietary nutrition?
test q
B1 vitamin
Myxomatosis was introduced to Australia to control invasive European rabbits, which were highly susceptible to the disease. A decade later, scientists observed that….
test q
the virulence of the disease had decreased
Which of the following is an articulation of the Hygiene Hypothesis?
a. Parasite-free lifestyles lead to autoimmune disorders
b. Germs cause disease
c. Washing hands between patients leads to decreased incidence of childbed fever
d. Poor sanitation leads to rat infestations, which transmit disease
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a. Parasite-free lifestyles lead to autoimmune disorders
Why shouldn’t you run a marathon with your dog?
a. They overheat faster than humans
b. They enter caloric deficit faster than humans
c. Average jogging speed in humans requires a sustained gallop in quadrupeds such as dogs
d. Humans tire faster than dogs, so it wouldn’t be fair to the dog
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c. Average jogging speed in humans requires a sustained gallop in quadrupeds such as dogs
What are the 3 types of black plague?
Bubonic, pneumonic, septicemic
The ability of a pathogen to cause harm to the host is known as….
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Pathogenicity
Conceptually, virulence refers to all of the following except:
a. Overall harm to host
b. Harm upon host entry
c. Transmission
d. Harm upon transmission
c. Transmission
Myxomatosis can infect rabbits through….
test q
bites by blood feeding arthropods such as fleas and ticks
Which of the following forms of Malaria most recently “jumped” into humans?
a. Plasmodium falciparum
b. Plasmodium vivax
c. Plasmodium ovale
d. Plasmodium fatale
a. Plasmodium falciparum
Which of the following diseases is communicable?
a. HIV
b. Stroke
c. Cancer
d. Diabetes
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a. HIV
Regarding the SIR Model, an Intrinsic Growth Rate R0 greater than 1 (R0 > 1) indicates….
The infection is spreading
Which of the following is an example of a chronic infectious disease that is NOT communicable?
a) Toxoplasma
b) Staphylococcus
c) HIV
d) Hepatitis A
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a) Toxoplasma
Which of the following is an example of a Fomite?
a) Doorknob
b) Clothes
c) Phones
d) All of the above
d) All of the above
The demos part of epidemic refers to….
test q
populations
What can make an individual go from susceptibility directly to recovery in the SIR model?
vaccination
Which of the following historical figures are incorrectly paired with their achievements?
a) Nightingale: Vaccinations
b) Snow: Cholera
c) Lind: Scurvy
d) Koch: Postulates
a) Nightingale: Vaccinations
The first disease case brought to the attention of the epidemiologist is known as the….
index case
According to studies conducted by Dr Duncan what fruit was found to have small particles of fecal matter?
strawberries
Which of the following foods / drinks are most commonly associated with outbreaks of Isospora
sp.?
a. Undercooked hamburger meat
b. Improperly sanitized drinking water
c. Cheeses and prepared meats
d. Prewashed vegetables such as baby spinach or raspberries
test q
d. Prewashed vegetables such as baby spinach or raspberries
Plasmodium vivax infects host ______________, while plasmodium falciparum infects host ________________
a. Reticulocytes, erythrocytes
b. Leukocytes, monocytes
c. Erythrocytes, leukocytes
d. Monocytes, reticulocytes
a. Reticulocytes, erythrocytes
Subclinical disease stage refers to:
a. Point of exposure for susceptible individual
b. Serious hospitalized cases
c. Beginning of pathological processes and changes within the body
d. Onset of symptoms
c. Beginning of pathological processes and changes within the body
What is an adaptive value of physical pain?
i. Draws attention to harmful stimuli
ii. Reduces reinjury
iii. Motivates learning to avoid harm
a. I only
b. I and II only
c. I and III only
d. I, II, and III
d. I, II, and III
Which is not a central theme of Darwinian medicine?
a. Evolutionary arms races
b. “Symptoms are often adaptations”
c. Hygiene hypothesis
d. Evolutionary mismatches
c. Hygiene hypothesis
Which of the following is a good example of an evolutionary mismatch?
a) Our preference for fatty or sweet foods
b) Our enjoyment of sex
c) Our ability to feel pain when we are injured
d) Our instinctive reflex to pull back from painful stimuli such as hot surfaces
test q
a) Our preference for fatty or sweet foods
