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Technologist in Microbiology Flashcards

6 cards from real ASCP practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.

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  1. Which staining technique is most commonly used to differentiate bacteria into two major groups?

    Answer: Gram stain

    The Gram stain classifies bacteria as gram-positive (purple/blue) or gram-negative (pink/red) based on cell wall structure.

  2. What is the purpose of blood agar in microbiology?

    Answer: To detect hemolysis patterns that help identify bacterial species

    Blood agar detects hemolysis patterns (alpha, beta, gamma) produced by bacteria, aiding identification.

  3. Which organism is the most common cause of urinary tract infections?

    Answer: Escherichia coli

    E. coli causes approximately 80% of uncomplicated UTIs due to virulence factors that allow adherence to uroepithelial cells.

  4. What is the purpose of an antibiotic susceptibility test?

    Answer: To determine which antibiotics will effectively inhibit or kill the pathogen

    AST determines the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of antibiotics against a bacterial isolate, guiding treatment selection.

  5. Which culture medium is selective for gram-negative bacteria?

    Answer: MacConkey agar

    MacConkey agar inhibits gram-positive bacteria (using bile salts and crystal violet) and differentiates gram-negatives by lactose fermentation.

  6. What does MRSA stand for, and why is it clinically significant?

    Answer: Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus; resistant to beta-lactam antibiotics

    MRSA carries the mecA gene encoding altered PBP2a that confers resistance to virtually all beta-lactam antibiotics.

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