NAVLE Veterinary Public Health 4 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which of the following is the gold standard post-exposure prophylaxis regimen for unvaccinated humans exposed to rabies?
- Rabies vaccine series alone (days 0, 3, 7, 14)
- Rabies immune globulin at wound site plus vaccine series (days 0, 3, 7, 14) (Correct answer)
- Rabies vaccine series plus systemic antibiotics
- Rabies immune globulin administered systemically with no vaccine
Correct answer: Rabies immune globulin at wound site plus vaccine series (days 0, 3, 7, 14)
PEP for unvaccinated individuals requires infiltration of rabies immune globulin at the wound plus a 4-dose vaccine series to provide immediate and long-term protection.
Question 2: Coxiella burnetii (Q fever agent) is classified as a Category B bioterrorism agent. Which animal reservoir is the primary source of human infection?
- Wild rodents
- Domestic ruminants (cattle, sheep, goats) (Correct answer)
- Dogs and cats
- Wild birds
Correct answer: Domestic ruminants (cattle, sheep, goats)
Cattle, sheep, and goats are the primary reservoirs; parturient materials (placenta, birth fluids) contain extremely high concentrations of C. burnetii.
Question 3: Under the 21 CFR Part 117 Preventive Controls rule, which of the following is classified as a 'process control'?
- Employee hygiene training records
- Cooking step that kills pathogens to a safe level (Correct answer)
- Supplier verification for incoming ingredients
- Environmental monitoring for Listeria
Correct answer: Cooking step that kills pathogens to a safe level
A process control is a procedure such as cooking that applies a lethal treatment to eliminate or reduce a biological hazard to an acceptable level.
Question 4: A slaughter plant veterinarian observes a pig with depression, erythematous skin lesions, and sudden death in the pen. The most important zoonotic differential diagnosis to consider is:
- Classical swine fever
- Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae infection (Correct answer)
- Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome
- Porcine circovirus disease
Correct answer: Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae infection
Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae causes erysipelas in swine and can cause erysipeloid in humans who handle infected carcasses.
Question 5: Which epidemiological measure best quantifies the additional risk of disease attributable to a specific exposure?
- Relative risk
- Attributable risk (risk difference) (Correct answer)
- Odds ratio
- Incidence rate
Correct answer: Attributable risk (risk difference)
Attributable risk (risk difference) measures the excess disease burden among the exposed group that is directly attributable to the exposure.
Question 6: Which critical temperature range is considered the 'danger zone' for bacterial growth in potentially hazardous foods?
- 32°F to 40°F (0°C to 4°C)
- 40°F to 140°F (4°C to 60°C) (Correct answer)
- 50°F to 165°F (10°C to 74°C)
- 60°F to 180°F (16°C to 82°C)
Correct answer: 40°F to 140°F (4°C to 60°C)
The USDA defines the temperature danger zone as 40°F to 140°F (4°C to 60°C), where most foodborne pathogens multiply rapidly.
Question 7: Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) has been identified as an occupational zoonosis. Which livestock species is most closely linked to the LA-MRSA (livestock-associated MRSA) ST398 strain?
- Dairy cattle
- Swine (Correct answer)
- Poultry
- Small ruminants
Correct answer: Swine
LA-MRSA ST398 is strongly associated with swine and pig farm workers, representing a major veterinary public health concern.
NAVLE Veterinary Public Health 4
Which of the following is the gold standard post-exposure prophylaxis regimen for unvaccinated humans exposed to rabies?