MLPAO Microbiology and Parasitology Diagnostic Methods

Question 1

What is the principle of the latex agglutination test used in microbiology?

Accepted Answer

Latex particles coated with antibodies agglutinate in the presence of target antigen

Answer

Measuring growth inhibition by antibiotics

Answer

Measuring enzyme activity of bacterial isolates

Answer

Detecting nucleic acid sequences by amplification

Question 2

Which molecular method is the gold standard for detecting Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae?

Accepted Answer

Nucleic acid amplification test (NAAT)

Answer

Culture on Thayer-Martin agar

Answer

Gram stain of discharge

Answer

Enzyme immunoassay

Question 3

What is the purpose of performing a Gram stain on cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)?

Accepted Answer

To rapidly identify the presence and morphology of bacteria for urgent empiric antibiotic selection

Answer

To culture the organism

Answer

To determine antibiotic susceptibility

Answer

To measure protein levels

Question 4

Which chromogenic medium is used for screening of MRSA in clinical laboratories?

Accepted Answer

CHROMagar MRSA or similar chromogenic MRSA medium

Answer

MacConkey agar

Answer

Blood agar

Answer

Sabouraud dextrose agar

Question 5

What is the India ink preparation used to detect?

Accepted Answer

Cryptococcus neoformans capsule in CSF

Answer

Acid-fast bacilli

Answer

Plasmodium species

Answer

Gram-negative diplococci

Question 6

What is the purpose of the beta-lactamase test in clinical microbiology?

Accepted Answer

To rapidly detect the production of beta-lactamase enzyme that inactivates penicillins

Answer

To identify the species of a bacterial isolate

Answer

To determine the organism's Gram reaction

Answer

To test for antimicrobial susceptibility to vancomycin