SM Infectious Diseases & Clinical Applications — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which bacterium is the most common cause of community-acquired pneumonia?
- Escherichia coli
- Streptococcus pneumoniae (Correct answer)
- Pseudomonas aeruginosa
- Mycobacterium tuberculosis
Correct answer: Streptococcus pneumoniae
Streptococcus pneumoniae is the leading bacterial cause of community-acquired pneumonia, especially in immunocompromised individuals and the elderly.
Question 2: Which viral infection is most commonly associated with mononucleosis?
- Cytomegalovirus
- Epstein-Barr virus (Correct answer)
- Hepatitis B virus
- Human papillomavirus
Correct answer: Epstein-Barr virus
The Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is the primary causative agent of infectious mononucleosis, a condition characterized by fever, sore throat, and lymphadenopathy.
Question 3: Which fungal infection is commonly associated with immunocompromised patients?
- Aspergillus fumigatus
- Candida albicans (Correct answer)
- Histoplasma capsulatum
- Cryptococcus neoformans
Correct answer: Candida albicans
Candida albicans causes opportunistic infections, such as oral thrush and systemic candidiasis, particularly in immunocompromised individuals.
Question 4: Which parasitic infection is transmitted through the bite of an Anopheles mosquito?
- Trypanosoma brucei
- Plasmodium falciparum (Correct answer)
- Leishmania donovani
- Toxoplasma gondii
Correct answer: Plasmodium falciparum
Plasmodium species, the causative agents of malaria, are transmitted to humans through the bite of infected Anopheles mosquitoes.
Question 5: Which antibiotic is most commonly used to treat Streptococcus pyogenes infections?
- Ciprofloxacin
- Penicillin (Correct answer)
- Vancomycin
- Doxycycline
Correct answer: Penicillin
Penicillin remains the first-line treatment for infections caused by Streptococcus pyogenes, including strep throat and rheumatic fever.
Question 6: Which diagnostic test is most commonly used to detect Mycobacterium tuberculosis?
- Gram stain
- Tuberculin skin test (TST) (Correct answer)
- Western blot
- Polymerase chain reaction (PCR)
Correct answer: Tuberculin skin test (TST)
The tuberculin skin test (TST) and interferon-gamma release assays (IGRAs) are commonly used to diagnose tuberculosis infections.
SM Infectious Diseases & Clinical Applications
Which bacterium is the most common cause of community-acquired pneumonia?