Micro & Drug Mnemonics

Question 1

Capsulated Bacteria

Answer 1

“Even Some Pretty Nasty Killers Have Shiny Bodies”

E: E. coli
S: S. pneumoniae
P: P
N: N. meningitidis
H: H. influenza B
K: Klebsiella pneumoniae
S: S almonella
B: (group B) strep

Question 2

Don’t Gram Stain Well

Answer 2

“These Rascals May Microscopically Lack Color”

T: Treponema
R: Rickettsia
M: Mycobacteria
M: Mycoplasma
L: Legionella
C: Chlamydia

Question 3

Giemsa Stain

Answer 3

“Certain Bugs Really Try my Patience”

C: Chlamydia
B: Borrelia
R: Rickettsia
T: Trypnasomes
P: Plasmodium

Question 4

Obligate Aerobes

Answer 4

“Nagging Pests Must Breathe”

N: Nocardia
P: Pseodomonas
M: Mycobacterium tuberculosis
B: Bacillus

Question 5

Obligate Anaerobes

Answer 5

“Anaerobes Can’t Breathe Air”

C: Clostridium
B: Bacteroides
A: Actinomyces

Question 6

Catalase Positive

Answer 6

CATS need their own PLACESS

CATS: Catalase
P: Pseudomonas
L: Listeria
A: Aspergillus
C: Candida
E: E.coli
S: S. aureus
S: Serratia

Question 7

Urease Positive

Answer 7

“CHuck norris hates PUNKSS”

C: Cryptococcus
H: H. pylori
P: Proteus
U: Ureaplasma
N: Nocardia
K: Klebsiella
S: S. epidermidis
S: S. saphrolyticus

Question 8

Identifying Staphylococci

Answer 8

“on the STAPH retreat there was NO, StRESs”

NO: NOvobiocin
S/R: Saphroylyticus is Resistant
E/S: Epidermidis is Sensitive

Question 9

Bacitracin Effects on Strep

Answer 9

“B-BRAS”

B: Bacitracin
B/R: Group B Strep is Resistant
A/S: Group A strep is Sensitive

Question 10

Infections caused by S. pneuomoniae

Answer 10

MOPS

M: Meningitis
O: Otitis media
P: Pneumonia
S: Sinusitis

Question 11

ABCDEFG of C. diptheriae

Answer 11

A: ADP-ribosylation
B: Beta prophage
C: orynbacterium
D: diptheriae
E/F: Elongation Factor 2
G: Granules

Question 12

Infections caused by Haemophilus influenzae

Answer 12

haEMOPhilus

E: Epiglottitis
M: Meningitis
O: Otitis media
P: Pneumonia

Question 13

Infections caused by Pseudomonas aeruginosa

Answer 13

PSEUDDOmonas

P: Pneumonia (esp. in CF)
S: Sepsis
E: External otitis
U: UTI
D: Drug use
D/O: Diabetic Osteomyelitis

Question 14

Presentation of the different E. coli strains

Answer 14

eIec: I: invasive
eTec: T: traveler’s diarrhea
eHec: H: Hemorrhagic & HUS
ePec: P: pediatrics

Question 15

Palm & Sole Rash

Answer 15

“You drive KAWASAKI CARS w/ your hands and feet”

Kawasaki disease
C: Coxsackie A
A:
R: Rickettsia
S: Syphillis

Question 16

3 C’s of Measles

Answer 16

Cough
Coryza
Conjunctivitis

Question 17

Symptoms of Mumps

Answer 17

POM-poms

P: Paratitis
O: Orchtitis
M: Meningitis

Question 18

Most Common Causes of Pneumonia in Kids

Answer 18

“Runts May Cough Chunky Sputum”

R: RSV
M: Mycoplasma
C: Chlamydia trachomatis
C: Chlamydia pneumoniae
S: Streptococcus pneumoniae

Question 19

TORCHeS Infections

Answer 19

T: toxoplasma
O: other (Parvovirus B19; GBS; Listeria)
R: Rubella
C: CMV
H: Herpes Simplex 2
S: Syphillis

Question 20

Painless Chancre vs. Painful Chancroid

Answer 20

Haemophilus ducreyi is so painful that you DO CRY

Question 21

Drugs that Cause photosensitivity

Answer 21

“SAT for a photo”

S: Sulfa
A: Amiodarone
T: Tetracyclines

Question 22

Uses of metronidazole

Answer 22

“GET GAP on the Metro”

G: Giardia
E: Entamoeba
T: Trichomonas
G: Gardnerella
A: Anaerobes (Bacteroides & C. diff)
P: Pylori (h. pylori)

Question 23

Side Effects of Isoniazid (INH)

Answer 23

INH Injures Nerves & Hepatocytes

Question 24

Treatment regimen for active TB

Answer 24

Rifampin
Isoniazid (INH)
Pyrazinamide
Ethambutol

Question 25

4 R’s of Rifampin

Answer 25

RNA polymerase inhibitor
Revs up Cyp450
Red fluids
Rapid resistance

Question 26

Most common encapsulated bacteria

Answer 26

SHiN

S: S. pneumoniae
H: HIB
N: Neisseria meningitidis

Question 27

Extended G- coverage of aminopenicillins

Answer 27

HELPSS kill enterococci

H: H. influenzae
E: E. coli
L: Listeria
P: Proteus
S: Salmonella
S: Shigella
Enterococci

Question 28

Organisms killed by 1st gen. cephalosporins

Answer 28

PEcK

P: Proteus mirabilis
E: E. coli
K: Klebsiella

Question 29

Organisms killed by 2nd gen. cephalsporins

Answer 29

HENS PEcK

H: H. influenzae
E: Enterobacter
N: Neisseria species (except gonorrhae)
S: Serratia

Question 30

Organisms NOT covered by cephalosporins

Answer 30

Not covered by cephalosprins are LAME

L: Listeria
A: Atypicals (chlamydia & mycoplasma)
M: MRSA
E: Enterococci

Question 31

Targets of Protein Synthesis Inhibitors

Answer 31

“buy AT 30, CCEL at 50”

30s ribosome

• • A: Aminoglycosides
• • T: Tetracylines

50s ribosome

• • C: Chloramphenicol
• • C: Clindamycin
• • E: Erythromycins (macrolides)
• • L: Linezolid

Question 32

Aminoglycosides

Answer 32

“MEAN GNATS caNNOT kill anaerobes”

MEAN: aMINOglycosides
G: Gentamicin
N: Neomycin
A: Amikacin
T: Tobramycin
S: Streptomycin

N: nephrotoxic
N: Neurmuscular blockade
O: Ototoxic
T: Teratogenic

Question 33

Macrolides

Answer 33

“sLIDE on the EAC”

E: Erythromycin
A: Azithromycin
C: Clarithromycin