Free BMS Bachelor of Mortuary Science Pathology and Microbiology Questions and Answers — Questions and Answers
Question 1: An embalmer is treating a body that exhibits rapid and intense tissue swelling, crepitation, and a foul odor, which are classic signs of tissue gas. This postmortem condition is primarily caused by the anaerobic, spore-forming bacterium:
- Staphylococcus aureus
- Mycobacterium tuberculosis
- Clostridium perfringens (Correct answer)
- Treponema pallidum
Correct answer: Clostridium perfringens
Clostridium perfringens is the bacterium responsible for gas gangrene in living tissue and tissue gas in the deceased. Its metabolic processes produce large amounts of gas, causing swelling, skin slip, and rapid decomposition, posing significant challenges for the embalmer.
Question 2: Which of the following pathological conditions is defined as a localized area of ischemic necrosis within a tissue or organ, resulting from the occlusion of its arterial supply or venous drainage?
- Anasarca
- Infarction (Correct answer)
- Ischemia
- Aneurysm
Correct answer: Infarction
An infarction is the correct term for tissue death (necrosis) caused by a lack of oxygen due to an obstruction of blood flow. Ischemia is the lack of blood flow itself, which leads to infarction. Anasarca is generalized edema, and an aneurysm is a bulge in a blood vessel wall.
Question 3: A deceased individual's medical history indicates death from complications of septicemia. During the arterial injection, the embalmer should anticipate which of the following challenges due to the systemic bacterial infection?
- Increased blood viscosity (Correct answer)
- Decreased capillary permeability
- Improved fluid distribution
- Increased vascular integrity and rapid firming
Correct answer: Increased blood viscosity
Septicemia often leads to an increase in blood viscosity and coagulation issues, which can impede the flow and distribution of arterial fluid. It also causes increased capillary permeability, leading to fluid loss and swelling, not decreased permeability.
Question 4: The process of inflammation is characterized by five cardinal signs. Which of the following represents the sign known as 'calor'?
- Swelling (tumor)
- Redness (rubor)
- Pain (dolor)
- Heat (calor) (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Heat (calor)
The five cardinal signs of inflammation are rubor (redness), tumor (swelling), calor (heat), dolor (pain), and functio laesa (loss of function). 'Calor' specifically refers to the heat generated by increased blood flow to the inflamed area.
Question 5: When preparing the body of an individual who had an active Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infection, the embalmer's primary microbiological concern is that MRSA is:
- An acid-fast bacillus requiring airborne precautions.
- A prion that is resistant to all chemical disinfectants.
- A spore-forming anaerobe that produces potent neurotoxins.
- A bacterium resistant to multiple antibiotics, requiring strict contact precautions. (Correct answer)
Correct answer: A bacterium resistant to multiple antibiotics, requiring strict contact precautions.
MRSA is a bacterium known for its resistance to many common antibiotics. For the embalmer, this means it can be difficult to eliminate from surfaces and poses a risk of transmission. Strict adherence to Universal/Standard Precautions, especially contact precautions and thorough surface disinfection, is critical.
Question 6: Which of the following is a specific type of cellular adaptation characterized by a decrease in the size of cells, resulting in a corresponding decrease in the size of the affected organ or tissue?
- Atrophy (Correct answer)
- Hyperplasia
- Metaplasia
- Hypertrophy
Correct answer: Atrophy
Atrophy is the shrinkage of cell size due to a loss of subcellular components. This is in contrast to hypertrophy (increase in cell size), hyperplasia (increase in cell number), and metaplasia (change from one cell type to another).
Free BMS Bachelor of Mortuary Science Pathology and Microbiology Questions and Answers
An embalmer is treating a body that exhibits rapid and intense tissue swelling, crepitation, and a foul odor, which are classic signs of tissue gas.
This postmortem condition is primarily caused by the anaerobic, spore-forming bacterium: