MLPAO Microbiology and Parasitology Diagnostic Methods Flashcards
7 cards from real MLPAO practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 MLPAO Microbiology and Parasitology Diagnostic Methods flashcards as text
Which colony appearance on Salmonella-Shigella (SS) agar suggests Salmonella?
Answer: Black-centered colonies on SS agar
Salmonella is a non-lactose fermenter that produces H2S, giving colorless colonies with black centers on SS agar.
Which blood parasite is identified on thin blood film by banana-shaped (crescent) gametocytes?
Answer: Plasmodium falciparum
Crescent-shaped gametocytes are characteristic of Plasmodium falciparum.
On Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion testing, which factor would most likely produce falsely small zones of inhibition?
Answer: Inoculum heavier than a 0.5 McFarland standard
An overly heavy inoculum overwhelms the antibiotic and reduces zone sizes.
A CSF India ink preparation shows encapsulated budding yeast. Which organism is most likely?
Answer: Cryptococcus neoformans
Cryptococcus neoformans has a polysaccharide capsule that excludes India ink, creating a clear halo.
Which test distinguishes Streptococcus pneumoniae from viridans streptococci?
Answer: Optochin susceptibility and bile solubility
S. pneumoniae is optochin susceptible and bile soluble, unlike viridans streptococci.
Which is the best quality control practice when a new lot of culture media is received?
Answer: Test with known positive and negative control organisms
New media lots must be checked for sterility and for growth performance using known QC strains.
Which protozoan trophozoite is characterized by a 'falling leaf' motility and a pear-shaped body with two nuclei in a stool wet mount?
Answer: Giardia lamblia
Giardia trophozoites are pear-shaped, binucleate with a sucking disc and show falling-leaf motility.
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