CH011 Exam #2 Study Guide

State the genus and species of the organism that causes tuberculosis.

mycobacterium tuberculosis

A _________________________ causes TB. (Choose the single best response)

a. Protozoa

b. Virus

c. Bacterium

d. Helminth

c

Approximately ______ of the world’s population is infected with the organism that causes TB.

a. 10%

b. 14%

c. 24%

d. 33%

e. 44%

f. 50%

g. 80%

c

t/f: There is a vaccine currently in use for tuberculosis, but it doesn’t provide complete protection and there are some reasons that it would not be good to use in some settings.

true

The following are considered risk factors for active TB: (choose all that apply)

a. Experiencing homelessness

b. Having HIV

c. Being undernourished

d. Being middle-aged

e. Living in a household with others who have active TB

f. Smoking

g. Having alcohol use disorder

a, b, c, e, f, g

The following will probably help reduce the global tuberculosis burden: (choose all that apply)

a. Poverty reduction strategies and socioeconomic development

b. Improved nutrition

c. Patient contributions to medical expenses

d. Universal health insurance

a, b, d

t/f: The agent that causes TB need to be in the lungs for a person to be at risk of transmitting TB to others.

true

t/f: There can be a long lag between infection with M. tuberculosis and symptoms of disease. 

true

People with M. tuberculosis have about a ______________ lifetime risk of developing TB from a latent infection. 

a. 100%

b. 80-95%

c. 40-60%

d. 10-20%

e. 5-10%

e

t/f: TB is preventable, according to the WHO.

true

t/f: Most cases of TB are treatable.

true

The following can be symptoms of TB: (choose all that apply)

a. Coughing up blood

b. Night sweats

c. Fever

d. Otherwise unexplained weight loss

a, b, c, d

t/f: Men are more often affected by TB than women. 

true

Of the following options, which WHO region has the heaviest burden of TB? 

a. WHO Region of the Americas

b. WHO South-East Asia Region

c. WHO Africa Region

d. WHO Western Pacific Region

b

t/f: We currently have a very promising vaccine candidate for tuberculosis, which is a major advancement with respect to TB control.

true

State the genus and species of the organism that causes tuberculosis.

Myobacterium tuberculosis

t/f: Indoor Residual Spraying with insecticide was a major malaria control strategy in the past but is not in widespread use as of the year 2025.

false

t/f: Seasonal chemoprophylaxis for kids in the Sahel region can be an effective strategy to help control malaria.

true

t/f: Pregnant women should not take most types of antimalarial drugs due to potential for harm to the fetus. 

false

t/f: Pregnant women represent one of the high-risk groups for malaria mortality because they can't take most of the commonly-used antimalarial drugs. 

false

What is an ITN (or IBN)?

a. A strategy of providing malaria treatment to at-risk populations on a regular basis

b. A barrier that’s treated with chemicals to reduce the likelihood of insect bites

c. A financing program for healthcare systems to access antimalarial drugs

d. A database for tracking cases of malaria over time

b

Which of the following are true of Anopheles gambiae (choose all that apply):

a. They are widely distributed on almost every continent

b. They breed easily

c. They have relatively long life spans

d. They prefer biting people more than animals

e. They are the main vector of concern for malaria

f. They breed almost exclusively in containers

b, c, d, e

t/f: Malaria is considered the single most important parasitic disease of humans.

true

t/f: By far, most cases of malaria are in countries in Africa; a smaller number of cases are in some countries in Southeast Asia, and there are still some cases in other locations, such as in Latin America.

true

t/f: Pregnant people and children younger than 5 years old in sub-Saharan Africa represent the major risk groups for malaria.

true

t/f: Drug resistance by Plasmodium is considered a pretty serious problem today.

true

t/f: Plasmodium infection can be asymptomatic.

true

t/f: Malaria episodes can include non-specific symptoms, so in places where malaria is endemic, it is important to get a diagnosis correct to perform the right course of treatment.

true

t/f: It’s common for children in malaria-endemic locations to be diagnosed incorrectly with malaria when in fact they have another condition, such as a serious bacterial infection.

true

The following factors typically should be considered when designing a malaria control program: (choose all that apply)

a. Which types of mosquitoes are present that can transmit the malaria parasite?

b. Which types of black flies are present that can transmit the malaria parasite?

c. Are there migratory human populations that may not have acquired immunity to the parasite?

d. What features of the climate might be associated with vector breeding locations?

e. Are humans proximal to vector-breeding locations?

f. Do vectors that contribute to malaria transmission mainly bite people at night or during other times of a given 24-hour cycle?

g. Do vectors prefer to rest indoors or outdoors after taking a blood meal?

h. Are vectors that transmit the malaria parasite mainly males or females?

a, c, d, e, f, g

The following are considered current challenges to effectively address malaria: (choose all that apply)

a. Possible importation of malaria into areas where disease threat was previously eliminated

b. Drug resistance by the malaria parasite

c. Vectors having resistance to chemicals used to kill them

d. Limited but concentrated breeding sites for vectors

e. Incorrect use of anti-malarial drugs

f. A large affected population

g. Healthcare and public health systems that may not be able to respond fully to malaria at the present time

h. No diagnostic options that allow identification of the parasite’s genus and species

a, b, c, e, f, g

The following are some of the characteristic features of the NTDs: (choose all that apply)

a. The tendency to cause stigmatized conditions

b. The tendency for them to be ancient conditions

c. The tendency to cause high mortality

d. The tendency for people to have chronic symptoms

e. An association with urban poverty

f. High possibility of disability and disfigurement

a, b, d, f

t/f: Ascaris lumbricoides eggs can remain alive and infectious for multiple years.  

true

t/f: Ascaris lumbricoides eggs can by killed with strong chemicals like formalin and sulfuric acid.

false

t/f: Ascaris lumbricoides eggs can be killed by heat and sunlight.

true

t/f: Many NTDs are highly stigmatized; this represents a disproportionate burden for young men, compared with other demographic groups.

false

t/f: In the context of ascariasis and trichuriasis, MDA typically involves giving treatment to entire populations, regardless of an individual's infection status.

true

t/f: The word “neglected” in “NTDs” refers to the fact that many NTDs are neglected at the community level, country level, and global level.

true

t/f: People can contract whipworm or roundworm by ingesting eggs that were passed in the feces of other humans, especially when people who are infected practice open defecation.

true

Adults of _______________________________________ live in the human gastrointestinal tract. (choose the single best answer)

a. both Ascaris lumbricoides and Trichuris trichiura

b. neither Ascaris lumbricoides nor Trichuris trichiura

c. Ascaris lumbricoides

d. Trichuris trichiura

a

t/f: Whipworm is diagnosed via stool sampling, while roundworm is mainly diagnosed through a rapid diagnostic test.

false

The following are risk factors for the STHs: (choose all that apply)

a. Poverty

b. Being young

c. Lack of access to sanitation facilities

d. Poor housing structures

e. Lack of access to treatment within the community

f. A hot dry climate

a, b, c, d, e

t/f: Ascaris lumbricoides worms have a long and complicated migration route through the body that includes the stomach, small intestine, and lungs.

true

t/f: Ascaris lumbricoides eggs are viable (able to infect people) for up to 1 year, but after about 1 year, they die and are no longer infectious.

false

t/f: Although people with Ascaris can be treated with deworming drugs, the drugs aren’t very effective, which contributes to the difficulty in controlling this NTD.

false

t/f: Nearly half of a billion people are infected with Trichuris trichuria.

true

Approximately how long do adult Trichuris trichiura live if a person doesn’t receive treatment?

a. A few months

b. A few decades

c. 2-4 weeks

d. None of the above

e. A few years

e

t/f: Trichuris and Ascaris are often coendemic because they share similar risk factors.

true

t/f: People who have had Trichuris trichiura and Ascaris lumbricoides are very unlikely to be re-infected after treatment due to acquired immunity.

false

t/f: Both hand-washing and sanitation facilities are needed to help control Trichuris and Ascaris, among other strategies. 

true

List 3 strategies that Maldives used to achieve their goal of eliminating LF. Please be brief. (40 words max.)

Three strategies the Maldives used to achieve their goal of eliminating LF includes weekly treatments instead of the 12-day course, mosquito control, and using mobile teams to visit rural areas before community health workers were trained and positioned there.

Adult schistosomes live _______________________.

a. …in blood vessels

b. …in the GI tract

c. …in tissue

d. …under the skin

e. …(other: explain below)

a

t/f: An immune response to schistosome eggs cause most of the morbidity associated with schistosomiasis; adult worms don’t cause much damage.

true

Schistosomiasis can be contracted by ______________________. (choose all that apply)

a. the fecal-oral route of infection

b. mosquito bites

c. sexual contact

d. black fly bites

e. not washing hands properly before eating

f. having skin contact with water contaminated with human waste

g. eating contaminated food

f

How do schistosome eggs enter the environment? (choose the single best response)

a. Through a mosquito bite, and then they’re transmitted to the next host.

b. In urine or feces, and they hatch in soil after a short period of development.

c. In urine or feces, and they hatch when they reach a freshwater body, such as a river, lake, or stream.

d. Through a black fly bite, and then they’re transmitted to the next host.

c

The following play a role in the transmission of schistosomiasis: (choose all that apply).

a. Freshwater snails

b. Black flies

c. Mosquitos

d. Freshwater crabs

a

t/f: Schistosomiasis can affect infants and children as well as people in every other life stage.

true

t/f: In an endemic location, swimming in water that’s contaminated with human waste is a risk factor for schistosomiasis.

true

t/f: MDA is a major control strategy for both schistosomiasis and LF.

true

t/f: Improved access to water and sanitation infrastructure are important prerequisites to help reduce the burden of schistosomiasis.

true

t/f: Lymphatic filariasis (LF) cases occur in multiple countries, including those in Asia, Africa, and South America.

true

The following play a role in the transmission of LF: (choose all that apply).

a. Freshwater snails

b. Black flies

c. Freshwater crabs

d. Mosquitos

d

Highly visible symptoms of LF mainly occur due to: (choose the single best response)

a. …a small number of infective mosquito bites over the course of a few months.

b. …a moderate number of infective mosquito bites over the course of a few years.

c. …a large number of infective mosquito bites over the course of many years.

c

t/f: Even without external LF symptoms, there may still be damage to lymphatic vessels and kidneys, and also changes to the immune system, even in children.

true

t/f: In the obstructive phase of LF, elephantoid organs develop and the disease is often highly visible.

true

t/f: LF may be accompanied by feelings of shame, fear, and embarrassment and may result in social exclusion.

true

The GPELF called for elimination of LF by the year 2020, but that target was not met. The new proposed target is __________. 

2030

t/f: For LF, the drugs that would be used for MDA vary based on other parasites that are endemic in a particular location.

true

The GPELF calls for: (choose the single best response)

a. Mosquito control

b. Both MDA to reduce transmission of LF and clinical care for people who have disease symptoms

c. Improved clinical care for people who have disease symptoms

d. MDA to reduce transmission of LF

b

t/f: Morbidity associated with LF can include hydrocele and swelling of the legs and breasts.

true

_________________ is the main parasite associated with female genital schistosomiasis.

a. S. japonicum

b. Other/none of the above

c. S. mansoni

d. S. haematobium

d

t/f: Schistosomiasis is known to be associated with increased risk of transmitting and contracting HIV.

true

t/f: Scientists currently think there is a high likelihood that schistosomiasis may contribute to an increased risk of some cancers, such as bladder cancer and liver cancer.

true

FGS can affect the following parts of a person’s anatomy (choose all that apply):

a. Ovaries

b. Vulva

c. Uterus

d. Fallopian tubes

e. Cervix

all of the above

t/f: At a population scale, FGS is somewhat difficult to detect because of limitations of equipment, personal, and the lack of an accepted and standardized definition.

true

A __________________ causes trachoma. (choose the single best response)

a. Virus

b. Helminth

c. Bacterium

d. Other/explain below

e. Protozoa

c

The organism that causes trachoma is called ________________________ (genus and species).

Chlamydia trachomatis

t/f: A large proportion of cardiac deaths among young adults in Latin America are due to Chagas’ disease.

true

t/f: There is a vaccine currently in use for Chagas’ disease.

false

Chagas’ disease is transmitted by a____________________. (choose all that apply)

a. Black fly

b. Mosquito

c. Trypanosome

d. House fly

e. Triatomine

f. Eye-seeking fly

e

t/f: When Chagas’ disease is transmitted, the vector injects saliva that carries the parasite.

false

t/f: Sleeping under ITNs at night can help protect against malaria, but ITNs don’t help address Chagas’ disease.

false

t/f: Most people infected with the organism that causes Chagas' disease will eventually die from the disease.

false

t/f: For Chagas’ disease, experts believe that vector control is one key aspect of the strategy to address Chagas’ disease in Latin America.

true

t/f: One effective strategy to prevent transmission of Chagas’ disease is through screening blood and organs that are being donated.

true

t/f: It’s possible to diagnose and treat people for Chagas’ disease during pregnancy.

false; it is possible to diagnose but not to treat

t/f: Since vertical/congenital transmission is impossible for the organism that causes Chagas’ disease, screening babies is unnecessary.

false

t/f: Trachoma is endemic in countries in Africa, Central America, South America, Asia, and the Middle East, and it's also present in Australia.

true

t/f: With trachoma, the eyelashes may touch the eyeball and scratch it if scar tissue develops on the interior of the eyelid.

true

t/f: Due to biological differences, women are about 4 times as likely as men to be blinded by trachoma.

false

The following is/are true about the “SAFE” strategy: (choose all that apply)

a. “S” stands for “sanitation”

b. “A” stands for “albendazole”

c. “F” stands for “facial cleanliness”

d. “E” stands for “environmental improvements”, which mainly refers to water and sanitation infrastructure

e. The letters don’t stand for anything; SAFE is a philosophical approach to addressing multiple risk factors

c, d

What is the leading cause of blindness worldwide from an infectious agent?

a. Onchocerciasis

b. Cataracts

c. Vitamin A deficiency

d. Chagas' disease

e. Trachoma

e

t/f: In the assigned reading, the authors described the various diagnostics tests that could be used for Chagas’ disease and stated that in the chronic phase of Chagas’ disease, diagnosis can be very difficult and may require multiple tests.

true

t/f: Two drugs (Benznidazole and Nifurtimox) to treat Chagas’ disease have been used for decades because both are safe and effective, but it would be ideal to develop new drugs in case of drug resistance in the future.

false

t/f: For advanced Chagas' disease, there is currently a recommendation to not offer treatment with the medications that are typically used at other stages of Chagas’ disease.

true

t/f: In their article on Chagas’ disease, de Sousa et al. (2024) argue that governments in Latin America should focus on eradicating vectorial transmission. 

false

t/f: Oral transmission of the parasite that causes Chagas' disease is possible, and if it happens, the disease can be more severe than vectorial transmission. 

true

The word “malnutrition” includes the following: (choose all that apply)

a. Undernutrition

b. Overweight

c. Obesity

d. Micronutrient deficiencies

a, b, c, d

The following are commonly measured using standardized growth charts: (choose all that apply)

a. Stunting

b. Wasting

c. Underweight

d. Obesity

a, b, c, d

The “first 1000 days” refers to:

a. …the time between the end of exclusive breastfeeding and age 3.5 years.

b. …the time between age 2 and age 5, when a child is at risk of a variety of infectious diseases.

c. …early pregnancy (before birth) until the child’s 2nd birthday).

d. …the time between when a child is born until shortly before their 3^rd birthday.

c