Microbiology

Question 1

In staphylococcus gram negative or positive?

Answer 1

Positive

Question 2

Does staphylococcus stay in clusters or chains?

Answer 2

Clusters

Question 3

Is staphylococcus aerobic or anaerobic (and how strictly!)

Answer 3

Aerobic and facultatively anaerobic (grows best in air but does also grow anaemically)

Question 4

Name a coagulase positive staphylococcus

Answer 4

Staph aureus

Question 5

Name a coagulase negative staphylococcus

Answer 5

Staph epidermidis

Question 6

Which organism shows a golden colour on agar?

Answer 6

Staph aureus

Question 7

Which organism stains white on agar?

Answer 7

Coagulase negative staph

Question 8

What does coagulase positive mean?

Answer 8

It will clot plasma

Question 9

Give an example of alpha haemolytic streptococcal organisms

Answer 9

Strep pneumoniae

Strep viridans

Question 10

Give an example of beta haemolytic streptococci?

Answer 10

Group A Strep (throat infection)

Group B strep (Neonatal meningitis)

Question 11

How do coagulase negative staphylococci usually cause infection?

Answer 11

By coming into association with prosthetic material; causing a slime to form

Question 12

What does beta haemolytic mean in terms of hamolysis?

Answer 12

Complete hameolysis

Question 13

What does alpha haemolytic mean in terms of haemolysis?

Answer 13

Partial haemolysis

Question 14

What does gamma haemolytic mean in term of haemolysis?

Answer 14

No haemolysis

Question 15

Describe streptococcus bacteria:

Answer 15

Gram positive cocci in chains that are aerobic (but can grow anaerobically)

Question 16

Give an example of a non haemolytic streptococci

Answer 16

Enterococcus

Question 17

Describe what has happened in staphylococcal scalded skin syndrome

Answer 17

Staphylococcus releases an exfoliating toxin which acts high up in the epidermis. Toxin A causes blistering at the site of the infection (called bullous impetigo) whilst toxin B spreads through the body causing widespread blistering.

Question 18

How do you treat SSS?

Answer 18

Flucloxacillin

Question 19

What bacteria most commonly causes boils?

Answer 19

Staph aureus

Question 20

Give an example of a group A streptococcus

Answer 20

Strep pyogenes

Question 21

What is the best antibiotic for staph aureus infections?

Answer 21

Flucloxacillin

Question 22

How do you treat necrotising fascists?

Answer 22

Surgical debridement and antibiotics

Question 23

What is tinea?

Answer 23

Ringworm

Question 24

What is tinea corporis?

Answer 24

Ringworm of the body?

Question 25

What is tine pedis also known as?

Answer 25

Athletes foot?

Question 26

What is tinea capitis?

Answer 26

Ringworm of the head

Question 27

Can tinea ever be invasive?

Answer 27

No, it only affects keratinise tissues (e.g. skin, hair, nails)

Question 28

If you want to send off a sample querying ringworm how do you do it?

Answer 28

Skin scraping in a dermapack for microscopy and culture