Microbiology C (Epidemiology)

Question 1

The number of cases in a population in relation to the size of the population
a.Disease pattern
b.Disease frequency
c.Study population
d.Sample

Answer 1

Disease pattern

Question 2

In the natural history of disease, this is considered the phases where clinical signs are not apparent but pathologic changes may already be detectable.
a. Susceptible
b.Subclinical
c. Clinical
d.Death

Answer 2

Subclinical

Question 3

All of the following are considered host factors except:
a.Stress
b.Age
c.Infectivity
d.Sex

Answer 3

Infectivity

Question 4

The aim of the prevention during the clinical phase of the natural history disease is to:
a. Prevent exposure
b.Prevent emerge of disease
c. Early diagnosis and treatment
d.Prevent or delay death

Answer 4

Early diagnosis and treatment

Question 5

One approach used by epidemiologists focuses on:
a. Diagnosing disease
b.Treating patients
c. Comparing groups
d.Conducting physical examinations

Answer 5

Comparing groups

Question 6

Which of the job roles below are field epidemiologists least likely to be involved in:
a. Conducting disease surveillance activities
b.Managing disease prevention and control programs
c. Developing disease models
d.Developing herd health programs

Answer 6

Developing disease models

Question 7

Which mode of transmission may be classified as either direct or indirect?
a. Droplet spread
b.Airborne
c. Vehicle
d.Vector

Answer 7

Droplet spread

Question 8

The following is an example of: “A sow that had a confirmed
pregnancy diagnosis, but no live birth was witnessed, or aborted fetuses were found.”
a. Sample
b.Case definition
c. Population at risk
d.Animal at risk

Answer 8

Case definition

Question 9

Prevalence measures the 1)_______ of cases within a 2)_______-at-risk at a specified 3)______ in time.
a. 1) number 2) group 3) point
b. 1) proportion 2) population 3) date
c. 1) proportion 2) population 3) point
d. 1) proportion 2) group 3) date

Answer 9

1) proportion 2) population 3) point

Question 10

The odds ratio describes the 1)______ of an event 2)_____ compared to the 3)_____ of an event 4)_____.
a. 1) chance 2) incidence 3) probability 4) incidence
b. 1) odds 2) occuring 3) odds 4) not occurring
c. 1) odds 2) incidence 3) probability 4) occurring
d. 1) odds 2) occuring 3) odds 4) occurring

Answer 10

1) odds 2) occuring 3) odds 4) not occurring

Question 11

The risk ratio is the 1)_____ of disease occurring in an 2)_____ group compared to the risk of disease 3)_____ in a 4)_____ group.
a. 1) odds 2) exposed 3) occuring 4) non-exposed
b. 1) risk 2) exposed 3) immunity 4) non-exposed
c. 1) risk 2) non-exposed 3) occuring 4) non-exposed
d. 1) risk 2) exposed 3) occuring 4) non-exposed

Answer 11

1) risk 2) exposed 3) occuring 4) non-exposed

Question 12

Which of the following describes a Pandemic Disease?
a. A disease, health event or infectious agent occurring infrequently and without a discernible pattern.
b.A disease, health event or infectious agent that is constantly present within a given geographic area or population group.
c. A disease or health event affecting several individuals in clear excess of what would be expected for the population in a specific region and a specific period of time.
d.An epidemic occurring over a very wide area including multiple countries or regions, crossing international boundaries and usually affecting a large number of individuals.

Answer 12

An epidemic occurring over a very wide area including multiple countries or regions, crossing international boundaries and usually affecting a large number of individuals.

Question 13

Which of the following describes an Epidemic Disease?
a. A disease, health event or infectious agent occurring infrequently and without a discernible pattern.
b. A disease, health event or infectious agent that is constantly present within a given geographic area or population group.
c. A disease or health event affecting several individuals in clear excess of what would be expected for the population in a specific region and a specific period of time.
d.An epidemic occurring over a very wide area including multiple countries or regions, crossing international boundaries and usually affecting a large number of individuals.

Answer 13

A disease or health event affecting several individuals in clear excess of what would be expected for the population in a specific region and a specific period of time.

Question 14

Which of the following describes an Endemic Disease?
a. A disease, health event or infectious agent occurring infrequently and without a discernible pattern.
b.A disease, health event or infectious agent that is constantly present within a given geographic area or population group.
c. A disease or health event affecting several individuals in clear excess of what would be expected for the population in a specific region and a specific period of time.
d.An epidemic occurring over a very wide area including multiple countries or regions, crossing international boundaries and usually affecting a large number of individuals.

Answer 14

A disease, health event or infectious agent that is constantly present within a given geographic area or population group.

Question 15

Which of the following describes an Endemic Disease?
a. A disease, health event or infectious agent occurring infrequently and without a discernible pattern.
b.A disease, health event or infectious agent that is constantly present within a given geographic area or population group.
c. A disease or health event affecting several individuals in clear excess of what would be expected for the population in a specific region and a specific period of time.
d.An epidemic occurring over a very wide area including multiple countries or regions, crossing international boundaries and usually affecting a large number of individuals.

Answer 15

A disease, health event or infectious agent occurring infrequently and without a discernible pattern.

Question 16

What pattern of disease does this scenario represent? Two abortions at different times of year in a village with 100 cattle.
a. Sporadic
b.Endemic
c. Epidemic
d.Pandemic

Answer 16

Sporadic

Question 17

You are called to be part of a team investigating an outbreak of sudden deaths in pigs. The outbreak is in a village in an area of
the country that has not reported cases of African swine fever in
the last 12 months. Others in the team will be undertaking other parts of the outbreak investigation. Your job is to identify the
patterns of disease occurring in time and in space for this village. This information will be used to make recommendations for disease control.
Since this outbreak began three weeks ago, there have been twenty sudden deaths in pigs recorded. What word best describes that pattern of disease in time?
a.Sporadic
b.Endemic
c.Epidemic
d.Pandemic

Answer 17

Epidemic

Question 18

This epidemic curve shows the cases occurring since the beginning of the outbreak. What word best describes the pattern of disease in
time shown by the epidemic curve?
a.Common source
b.Endemic
c.Pandemic
d.Propagated

Answer 18

Propagated

Question 19

You review a map that one of your colleagues made recently for a similar outbreak. Within the village, affected houses are shown in
red, and unaffected houses in blue.
a. Point map
b.Area map
c. Location map
d.Heat map

Answer 19

Point map

Question 20

As prevalence increases, the negative predictive value of a test:
a. Increases
b.Decreases
c. Does not increase
d.Not related

Answer 20

Decreases

Question 21

As prevalence decreases, the positive predictive value of a test:
a. Increases
b.Decreases
c. Does not increase
d.Not related

Answer 21

Decreases

Question 22

Which of the following is a primary goal for undertaking disease outbreak investigations?
a.To train staff and familiarise them with the structured approach
b.To study the natural history of a disease
c.To treat existing cases and prevent deaths
d.To stop the outbreak and prevent further cases by implementing effective control measures

Answer 22

To stop the outbreak and prevent further cases by implementing effective control measures

Question 23

Which of the following best describes the purpose of standard
operating procedures (SOPs) for outbreak investigations?
a.SOPs are a list of applicable laws and regulations in outbreak investigations.
b.SOPs are one-page overviews in pictures for every outbreak
investigation procedure.
c.SOPs detail all veterinary services policies.
d.SOPs are written descriptions of important processes to ensure the quality and consistency of investigations.

Answer 23

SOPs are written descriptions of important processes to ensure the quality and consistency of investigations.

Question 24

You get called upon to assist in an outbreak investigation in a neighbouring district.
Several duck farmers in the district have reported significant mortalities of ducks in their flocks. All ducks are unvaccinated and affected ducks do not show any clear clinical signs. You are tasked to visit one affected farm later today, interview the farmer and take samples of the flock. What would be the appropriate level of PPE while handling
affected ducks during this farm visit?
a. Nothing, this investigation has just started, and no disease has been confirmed yet.
b.Cleaned gumboots to avoid spreading disease to this flock.
c. Overalls, gumboots, gloves, goggles, disposable N95 mask as there is a potential zoonotic infection risk.
d.Totally encapsulated suit with self-contained breathing apparatus to eliminate any risk.

Answer 24

Overalls, gumboots, gloves, goggles, disposable N95 mask as there is a potential zoonotic infection risk.

Question 25

Which of the following statements is correct?
a.The case-control design is efficient for investigation of risk
factors for rare diseases.
b.The case-control design is efficient for investigation of rare
exposures.
c.The case-control design provides a means for reliably
estimating the prevalence of disease in the study population.
d.The case-control design provides a means for reliably
estimating the incidence of disease in the study population.

Answer 25

The case-control design is efficient for investigation of risk
factors for rare diseases

Question 26

Your friend Jackie works for the Philippines’ Bureau of Animal Industry, and she is in charge of collecting enough evidence to report to OIE every year that the Philippines remains free from FMD. Which one of the following surveillance purposes will you recommend to Jackie as a priority?
a. Demonstration of freedom from disease
b.Early detection of disease
c. Measuring level and changes in disease
d.Finding cases

Answer 26

Demonstration of freedom from disease

Question 27

Which one of the following activities does NOT fit the definition of animal disease surveillance?
a. Evaluation of the efficacy of animal health control plan
b.Ongoing collection of animal health data
c. Treatment of diseased animals in an infected zone
d.Interpretation of animal health data

Answer 27

Treatment of diseased animals in an infected zone

Question 28

Which one of the following animal disease surveillance activities is exclusively ‘passive’?
a. Farmer reporting system
b.Representative surveys
c. Aggregation points surveillance
d.Sentinel surveillance

Answer 28

Farmer reporting system

Question 29

Following the introduction of a new immunosuppressant medication for lung
transplantation, a study describes the occurrence of unusual opportunistic infections among eight recent users of the medication. Which of the following would be the most appropriate next step for investigating this problem?
a. Randomized trial of the new immunosuppressant medication with
opportunistic infections as the primary outcome
b.Removal of the new immunosuppressant medication from the market
c. Prospective cohort study to evaluate long-term rates of mortality
among users and nonusers of the immunosuppressant medication
d.Determining incidence rates of opportunistic infections among users and nonusers of the new immunosuppressant medication

Answer 29

Determining incidence rates of opportunistic infections among users and nonusers of the new immunosuppressant medication

Question 30

Researchers conduct a study to compare the risk of hypoglycemia
(low blood sugar) among patients with diabetes who initiate long-acting versus short-acting insulin therapy. They recruit 15 patients who recently initiated insulin treatment and have no previous history
of hypoglycemic episodes. Participants are followed for up to 2
years to assess occurrences of hypoglycemia.
a. Cohort study
b.Cross-sectional study
c. Case report
d.Case series

Answer 30

Cohort study

Question 31

In the definition of epidemiology, “determinants” generally includes
the following EXCEPT:
a. Agents
b.Causes
c. Control measures
d.Risk factors

Answer 31

Control measures

Question 32

John Snow’s investigation of cholera is considered a model for epidemiologic field investigations because it included all of the following EXCEPT:
a. Biologically plausible hypothesis
b.Comparison of a health outcome among exposed and
unexposed groups
c. Multivariate statistical model
d.Recommendation for public health action

Answer 32

Multivariate statistical model

Question 33

The hallmark feature of an analytic epidemiologic study is:
a. Use of an appropriate comparison group
b.Laboratory confirmation of the diagnosis
c. Publication in a peer-reviewed journal
d.Statistical analysis using logistic regression

Answer 33

Use of an appropriate comparison group

Question 34

The epidemiologic triad of disease causation refers to:
a. Agent, host, environment
b.Time, place, person
c. Source, mode of transmission, susceptible host
d.John Snow, Robert Koch, Kenneth Rothman

Answer 34

Agent, host, environment

Question 35

A reservoir of an infectious agent can be:
a. A symptomatic human
b.An animal
c. The environment
d.All of the above

Answer 35

All of the above

Question 36

A propagated epidemic is usually the result of what type of exposure?
a. Point source
b.Continuous common source
c. Intermittent common source
d.Animal-to-animal

Answer 36

Animal-to-animal

Question 37

A cohort study differs from a case-control study in that:
a. Subjects are enrolled or categorized on the basis of their exposure status in a cohort study but not in a case-control study
b.Subjects are asked about their exposure status in a cohort
study but not in a case-control study
c. Cohort studies require many years to conduct, but case-
control studies do not
d.Cohort studies are conducted to investigate chronic diseases,
case-control studies are used for infectious diseases

Answer 37

Subjects are enrolled or categorized on the basis of their exposure status in a cohort study but not in a case-control study

Question 38

Diseases that are always present in a community, usually at a low, more or less constant, frequency are classified as
having what pattern
a. Endemic
b.Sporadic
c. Pandemic
d.Epidemic

Answer 38

Endemic

Question 39

Which of the following statements is true concerning epidemic diseases?
a. They are usually not very contagious.
b.At the end of an epidemic, a disease spreads at an increasing
rate and then abruptly disappears.
c. They usually appear and disappear seasonally.
d.They continue and become sporadic over time.

Answer 39

They usually appear and disappear seasonally.

Question 40

In which one of the following circumstances will the prevalence of a
disease in the population increase, all else being constant?
a. If the incidence rate of the disease falls.
b.If survival time with the disease increases.
c. If recovery of the disease is faster.
d.If the population in which the disease is measured increases.

Answer 40

If survival time with the disease increases.

Question 41

Which of the following statements about exposures is true?
a. ‘Exposure’ refers to contact with some factor that may be
harmful or beneficial to health.
b.An exposed individual has a greater risk of disease.
c. Dietary intake is not an ‘exposure’ because individuals make a
choice about what they eat.
d.High body mass index is a risk factor for a range of health
conditions, therefore, it cannot be treated as a single
exposure.

Answer 41

‘Exposure’ refers to contact with some factor that may be
harmful or beneficial to health.

Question 42

Epidemiological measures of effect assess the _______ between an
exposure and an outcome.
a. strength of the causal mechanisms
b.strength of the reversibility
c. strength of the association
d.strength of a confounding factor

Answer 42

Strength of the association

Question 43

Randomised, controlled trials provide strong evidence that an
observed effect is due to the intervention (the assigned exposure).
One reason is because
a. when the participants are randomised, many characteristics and
possible confounding factors are likely to be evenly distributed in the groups.
b.it is easier to measure the outcome variable with great precision in randomised, controlled trials compared to in other study designs.
c. the exposure level and the outcome are measured at the same time.
d.the study participants are volunteers and therefore motivated to take
part in the study.

Answer 43

when the participants are randomised, many characteristics and possible confounding factors are likely to be evenly distributed in the groups.

Question 44

Which of the following is not the analytical study?
a. Cross sectional comparative study
b.Case control study
c. Cohort study
d.Prevalence study

Answer 44

Prevalence study

Question 45

The numerator is not the component of denominator in
a.rate
b.ratio
c. Proportion
d.None of the above

Answer 45

Ratio