Study Quizzes

The mRNA molecules used in the Moderna (Mod) and the Pfizer-BioNTech (P-Tech) vaccines contain genetic information for what SARS-CoV-2 viral component?

spike protein

How is the fragile mRNA molecule in the vaccines physically protected from destruction (in the vials and after the IM injection)?

a lipid-based nanoparticle surrounds the mRNA

How is the mRNA in the Johnson and Johnson vaccine protected?

it's inside a harmless cold virus protein shell (aka, the capsid - remenber that term?)

After injection into the body, all 3 vaccines stimulate the activity of what type of immune cells to create immunity? Antigen processing cells (APC),Helper T-cells, Cytotoxic T-cells, B-cells

Several months after the initial vaccination schedule to achieve COVID immunity, the protection against COVID diminishes, and "boosters" are recommended to re-establish full immune protection. What is the part of the immune response that naturally wanes or diminishes during that time so that boosters are needed?

Levels of circulating antibodies such as IgG decrease because of their usual half-life in the blood.

What immune response would a mild breakthrough infection by the Omicron-variant SARS-CoV- 2 most likely cause in a fully COVID vaccinated person?

The infection will give an additional increase in the overall immune response.

What "type" of hypersensitivity is the human reaction to poison ivy?

Type IV

What component of poison ivy causes the itchy skin reaction?

An allergen in the sap called urushiol

What "chemical mediator" is released during the reaction to poison ivy, and where is the chemical active?

IL-33, the skin's nerve cells

In the research trials, how was the itch response diminished or eliminated in the test mice?

Antibodies against the active chemical mediator and antibodies against the nerve receptors prevented the itch

Approximately how many vaccines and antiviral treatments are currently in development to reduce hospitalizations due to the SARS-CoV2 virus?

more than 80

If antibiotics are known not to be effective against virus infections why would there be a need to use antibiotics with this virus?

Many COVID infections can lead to secondary bacterial pneumonia, requiring effective antibiotic treatment.

Why are hospitals discouraged from using new antibiotics from treating antibiotic resistant infections associated with serious COVID infections?

The hospitals don't get reimbursed for using the sometimes very expensive new antibiotics.

How does author propose to help hospitals use the most effective antibiotic available to treat patients with bacterial pneumonia?

Allow reimbursement for the use of the most effective antibiotic, and provide incentives for new antibiotic research and development.

Cases of scarlet fever have been rising in many countries around the globe.

True

The causative agent of Scarlet Fever is

Streptococcus pyogenes

The causative agent of Scarlet fever can also cause

Impetogo, Strep throat, pneumonia, flesh-eating disease

The cause of Scarlet fever is most often spread by

Saliva droplets released by coughing and sneezing

Serious complications that can arise due to Scarlet fever infection include

Rheumatic fever

Scarlet fever is successfully treated with

antibiotics

The 3 viruses in the "tripledemic" are

respiratory syncytial virus, Influenzavirus, SARS-CoV-2

RSV is an infectious viral disease that affects what body system?

The nasopharynx and lungs, it's a respiratory virus.

The ILI epidemiology data show that outpatient visits for respiratory illness in the Fall of 2022...

show a much earlier increase than most of the past 5 years.

How does the flu season in 2020-21 compare to nearly all the other recent flu seasons?

Nearly non-existent, hardly any flu symptom visits to Doctors' offices.

These tripledemic viruses increase the risk for co-infection. What is meant by "co-infection"?

An individual can be infected with 2 or more of these viruses.

The Kirby-Bauer Disk Diffusion test (the one you used in Micro lab this semester) is used to determine:

whether a bacterial species is susceptible or resistant to any of the antibiotics tested

The MIC, or minimum inhibitory concentration, is defined as:

the lowest concentration (in μg/mL) of an antibiotic that inhibits the growth of a given strain of bacteria

Lab tests that determine antibiotic "resistance" imply that

the bacterial species isolated from an infected patient is NOT susceptible to that specific antibiotic

Antibiotic tests shown as "Sensitive" implies that

the microorganism is sensitive to the usual dosage that is tolerated by a patient

According to the Guide, an antibiotic “breakpoint” is

the dilution of the antibiotic where bacteria begin to show resistance to a specific concentration of the antibiotic.

Only the effective MIC of an antibiotic should be considered when prescribing the optimum antibiotic. Safety, ease of use, and cost should not be a consideration.

False

The location of the infection to be treated with an antibiotic is important because lipid-soluble drugs can reach higher levels in the tissue than they do in blood serum.

True

The recent case of polio in NY involved a person who was previously vaccinated against the poliovirus.

False

What danger did this individual case have for the general population in his area?

No danger for fully vaccinated children and adults - getting the recommended doses of polio vaccine is highly protective.

Globally, the recent trend in vaccination rates for various diseases has been...

going down for several serious diseases, including polio and measles

Vaccine hesitancy, i.e. not getting recommended vaccinations, can affect overall public health. Since this mainly concerns COVID vaccines, routine childhood vaccinations have not been influenced by anti-vaxxers.

False

Polio, originating and spreading in the US population, was eliminated in the US because of its high vaccination acceptance. What year was polio considered eradicated in the US?

1979

How is the poliovirus most commonly transmitted?

Fecal-oral - usually contaminated food or water.