pltw pbs EOC exam UNIT 3/4

eoc 2026

Agents of disease: Bacteria

Agent	Core Example	Transmission Mode	Primary Treatment
Bacteria	E. coli, Strep	Airborne, contaminated food, water	Antibiotics (PBS EOC St... p. 9)

Agents of disease: Virus

Agent	Core Example	Transmission Mode	Primary Treatment
Virus	Influenza, HIV	Respiratory droplets, bodily fluids	Antivirals / Rest

Agent of disease: Fungi

Agent	Core Example	Transmission Mode	Primary Treatment
Fungi	Ringworm, Athlete’s foot	Contact with spores, damp surfaces	Antifungals

Agent of disease: Protozoa

Agent	Core Example	Transmission Mode	Primary Treatment
Protozoa	Malaria, Giardia	Mosquito vectors, contaminated water	Antiprotozoal drugs

Agent of disease: Helminth

Agent	Core Example	Transmission Mode	Primary Treatment
Helminth	Tapeworm, Hookworm	Consumingundercooked meat, soil	Antihelminthic drugs

Agent of disease: Prion

Agent	Core Example	Transmission Mode	Primary Treatment
Prion	Mad Cow Disease (CJD)	Consuming infected brain/tissue	No cure (Symptomatic)

Why are viruses and prions different from other agents of disease?

they are not made of cells and require a host cell's machinery to replicate

What is the Chain of Infection, and what is a reservoir?

Chain: The steps a pathogen takes to spread from one host to another

Reservoir: The natural environment or host where a pathogen lives and multiplies

Differentiate between Innate and Acquired Immunity

Innate: Nonspecific defenses present at birth, such as skin, mucus, and phagocytic white blood cells

Acquired: Specific immunity developed over time, utilizing B-cells (antibodies) and T-cells to target specific pathogens

What is aseptic technique and why is it used?

Procedures used to prevent contamination from ambient microorganisms when working with bacteria

What is an isolation streak and where are isolated colonies found?

Spreading bacteria across an agar plate to separate individual cells; isolated colonies grow in the final quadrant

What are the 3 categories of bacteria morphology?

Coccus (spherical), Bacillus (rod-shaped), and Spirillum (spiral)

Why is gram staining useful?

Helps doctors quickly select effective, targeted antibiotics

How does gram-negative stain?

Stains purple due to a thick outer peptidoglycan cell wall

How does gram negative stain?

Stains pink due to a thin peptidoglycan layer underneath an outer membrane

What steps are involved in a Scene Size-Up?

Ensure personal safety, assess environmental hazards, determine the mechanism of injury, and count patients

What are the Patient ABCs of a primary assessment?

Airway (clear path), Breathing (chest rise), and Circulation (check pulse)

What are the emergency ABCs of bleeding control?

Alert 911, find the Bleeding source, and Compress the wound firmly

Why is it important to consider whether a patient’s spine has been injured before moving them?

Moving them could sever the spinal cord. This can cause permanent paralysis or death

What is included in a secondary assessment of a patient?

A head-to-toe physical examination. Taking complete vital signs. Gathering patient medical history

What is a pupillary response? What are some examples of responses that indicate problems with the nervous system?

Constriction or dilation of pupils to light. Fixed, unreactive pupils indicate brain damage. Unequal pupil sizes indicate head trauma.

What are the different methods of Drug Delivery? Why are different drugs delivered in different ways?

Methods include oral, intravenous, intramuscular, and transdermal. Delivery depends on required absorption speed. It also depends on chemical stability in stomach acid.

What is the basic concept of diffusion? What makes osmosis different from diffusion?

Diffusion moves solutes from high to low concentrations . Osmosis is specifically the movement of water. Water crosses a semi-permeable membrane. Solute movement does not define osmosis.

Isotonic

Water moves equally in and out.

Hypotonic

Water moves into the cell

Hypertonic

Water moves out of the cell

How does blood clotting work and what feedback loop is it?

Platelets stick and recruit more. It is positive feedback

Contrast arterial and venous bleeds and their treatments

Arterial spurts bright red; needs a tourniquet. Venous flows dark; needs pressure.

What is a tourniquet, where does it go?

A constriction band. Place 2–3 inches above wound. Note time to prevent necrosis

What is triage and its criteria

Patient sorting. Uses respiration, perfusion, and mental status.

What is coronary artery disease (CAD) and its cause?

Blocked cardiac blood flow. Caused by atherosclerosis plaque.

What are CAD risk factors?

• High blood pressure

• High cholesterol

• Smoking status

What is a stent?

A mesh tube. It keeps narrowed arteries open.

What are stem cells and their regenerative medicine use?

Undifferentiated cells. They grow replacement organs and tissues.

list modifiable vs. non-modifiable risk factors

Modifiable: Diet, smoking, exercise.

Non-Modifiable: Age, biological s*x, genetics.

How does pH vary in the GI tract?

Acidic stomach (pH 1.5-3.5) and in basic small intestine (pH 6-7.4)

How must oral enteric medications be designed?

With an acid-resistant coating. It dissolves only in the intestine

What is bioprospecting and why does biodiversity matter?

Hunting nature for drugs. More biodiversity yields more unique molecules.

Contrast qualitative and quantitative data

Qualitative is descriptive. Quantitative is numerical.

Why are the 5 space stressors harmful?

• Radiation: Damages cellular DNA.

• Atrophy: Weakens loading muscles.

• Osteoporosis: Reduces bone density.

• Stress: Spikes blood cortisol.

• Limited Resources: Restricts emergency care.

How do we minimize space hazards?

• Radiation shielding

• Daily resistance exercise

• Nutrient supplementation

• Psychological care routines

• Recycling life-support