ACE Sanitation & Disease Prevention 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which of the following is the BEST indicator that a rodent infestation is active rather than historical?
- Presence of dried, gray, crumbling droppings
- Presence of soft, dark, moist droppings (Correct answer)
- Gnaw marks that are dark and smooth
- Runways with settled dust
Correct answer: Presence of soft, dark, moist droppings
Fresh rodent droppings are soft, dark, and moist, indicating recent rodent activity, whereas old droppings dry out and become gray and crumbly.
Question 2: According to FDA food safety guidelines, which minimum temperature must cooked food reach internally to ensure pathogen destruction?
- 120°F (49°C)
- 145°F (63°C)
- 165°F (74°C) (Correct answer)
- 212°F (100°C)
Correct answer: 165°F (74°C)
165°F (74°C) is the FDA-recommended minimum internal temperature for poultry and other high-risk foods to destroy pathogens like Salmonella.
Question 3: A pest management professional inspecting a restaurant finds grease buildup behind cooking equipment. This is most significant because it:
- Attracts German cockroaches and provides a food and harborage source (Correct answer)
- Increases relative humidity and promotes fungal growth only
- Generates odors that repel stored product pests
- Creates slipping hazards but has no pest significance
Correct answer: Attracts German cockroaches and provides a food and harborage source
Grease accumulations serve as both a food source and harborage for German cockroaches, making sanitation of these areas critical.
Question 4: Which disease can be transmitted by the body louse (Pediculus humanus corporis)?
- Lyme disease
- Epidemic typhus (Correct answer)
- Rocky Mountain spotted fever
- Dengue fever
Correct answer: Epidemic typhus
The body louse is the vector of epidemic typhus, caused by Rickettsia prowazekii, a disease historically associated with overcrowding and poor sanitation.
Question 5: In an IPM program, 'monitoring' for pest activity primarily serves which sanitation-related purpose?
- It directly kills pests caught in traps
- It identifies pest pressure and sanitation deficiencies before they become major infestations (Correct answer)
- It replaces the need for chemical treatments
- It measures the efficacy of pesticide applications only
Correct answer: It identifies pest pressure and sanitation deficiencies before they become major infestations
Monitoring detects early pest activity and helps pinpoint sanitation failures that are attracting or sustaining pest populations.
Question 6: Proper waste management in a residential setting to reduce fly populations should focus on which primary practice?
- Applying insecticide around all trash cans weekly
- Using tightly sealed containers and disposing of garbage frequently (Correct answer)
- Placing fly paper strips inside all trash cans
- Moving trash cans far from the building
Correct answer: Using tightly sealed containers and disposing of garbage frequently
Using tightly sealed containers and removing garbage frequently eliminates the organic matter flies need for breeding and feeding.
Question 7: Which of the following describes the concept of a 'sanitation audit' in a pest management context?
- A chemical analysis of pesticide residues in food products
- A systematic inspection to identify conditions that attract, harbor, or sustain pests (Correct answer)
- An inventory of all pesticides used on a property
- A review of a facility's pesticide application records
Correct answer: A systematic inspection to identify conditions that attract, harbor, or sustain pests
A sanitation audit is a structured inspection that identifies conducive conditions such as food debris, moisture, and harborage that contribute to pest problems.
ACE Sanitation & Disease Prevention 3
Which of the following is the BEST indicator that a rodent infestation is active rather than historical?