Case Studies Exam #8 – Food Poisoning
1. Which of the following is NOT a
function of the digestive system?
a. Absorption of nutrients into the
blood and lymph
b. Adjusting pH balance through
select absorption
c. Breaking down of large food
molecules into smaller
molecules
d. Elimination of indigestible food
molecules
e. Secretion of digestive juices
2. Which part of the digestive tract mixes
food with hydrochloric acid and the
enzyme pepsin?
a. Mouth
b. Small intestines
c. Stomach
d. Large intestines
e. Liver
3. Which part of the digestive tract
absorbs water and converts undigested
food to fecal matter?
a. Mouth
b. Small intestines
c. Stomach
d. Large intestines
e. Liver
4. In this type of microbial relationship,
both organisms benefit.
a. Commensalism
b. Microbial competition
c. Mutualism
d. Parasitism
e. None of the above
5. What term describes microbes in a
mutualistic or commensal relationship,
that take up room preventing
colonization of other harmful bacteria?
a. Commensalism
b. Microbial competition
c. Mutualism
d. Parasitism
e. None of the above
6. Which components of the digestive
tract are usually colonized by bacteria?
a. Esophagus, stomach, and first
two thirds of small intestine
b. Esophagus, stomach, and large
intestine
c. Mouth, last third or the small
intestine, and large intestine
d. Mouth, stomach, and large
intestine
e. Mouth, esophagus, and
stomach
7. Endotoxins are secreted primarily by:
a. Acid fast bacteria
b. Clostridum tetani
c. Gram negative bacteria
d. Gram positive bacteria
e. All of the above
8. Salmonella food poisoning is an
example of a fever producing toxin
released from a gram-negative bacteria
when it dies. This toxin is classified as
a:
a. Endotoxin
b. Exotoxin
c. Non-fever producing toxin
d. Highly specific toxin
e. All of the above
9. Ingestion of pre-formed toxins may lead
to tissue damage. This condition is
called:
a. Cytotoxin dissemination
b. Infection
c. Intoxication
d. Invasion
e. Tissue dissemination
10. Botulism toxin is used clinically to:
a. Paralyze muscles that cause
wrinkles
b. Repair varicose veins
c. Thin blood
d. Tighten aging skin
e. All of the above
11. At the Parker family reunion, the
following foods were present. Which is
a potential source of a food-borne
illness?
a. Brownies
b. Rolls
c. Lemonade
d. Medium-rare hamburger
e. Potato chips
12. The number of cases of salmonellosis is
the highest in which of the following?
a. Dairy and poultry related
products
b. Preserved canned meats and
fruit
c. Vegetables in salads
d. Undercooked red meats
e. Grain products
13. Bacterial gastroenteritis consistently
produces which combination of the
following patient symptoms?
a. Intestinal bleeding and vomiting
b. Vomiting and diarrhea
c. Diarrhea and rash
d. Diarrhea and fluid retention
e. Dehydration and intestinal
bleeding
14. Which diagnostic laboratory tests
reflect the effects of severe vomiting
and diarrhea?
a. CBC
b. Fecal White Blood Count
c. Glucose
d. Electrolytes
e. All of the above
15. Fecal white blood cells are indicative of:
a. Dehydration
b. Elevated hematocrit
c. Elevated plasma white blood
count
d. Hyponatremia
e. Invasiveness of bacteria
16. Diagnosis of food poisoning is made by:
a. Chemistry panel
b. Complete blood count
c. Fecal leukocytes
d. Isolating the causative agent
from the patient’s stool
e. MRI of intestinal tract
17. Dehydration may lead to :
a. Acidosis
b. Decreased sodium levels
c. Cardiac failure
d. Respiratory failure
e. All of the above
18. A possible complication of dehydrations
is:
a. Anemia
b. Decreased sodium levels
c. Cardiac failure
d. Respiratory failure
e. All of the above
19. Certain populations (e.g. elderly) may
require short-term hospitalization in
cases of food poisoning. Why?
a. To make a reliable diagnosis
b. To control the effects of
dehydration
c. To prevent the spread of
bacterial toxins to the
population at large
d. To monitor the fecal WBC count
e. To grant interviews with public
health personnel
20. Of the following, which is NOT a
treatment for food poisoning?
a. Administration of Ringer’s
lactate
b. Bed rest
c. Drink clear fluids
d. Laxatives
e. Suppository to prevent
vomiting
21. Nursing personnel are responsible for
which of the following in a severe food
poisoning case?
a. Administering lactated ringers
b. Determining serum electrolyte
levels
c. Determining causative agent of
the gastroenteritis
d. Establishing treatment
protocols
e. Tracking other picnic
participants
22. A physician would be responsible for
which of the following in a severe food
poisoning case?
a. Administering lactated ringers
b. Determining serum electrolyte
levels
c. Determining causative agent of
the gastroenteritis
d. Establishing treatment
protocols
e. Informing the public of
prevention measures for food
poisoning
23. As a food handler, what measures and
precautions should be taken to avoid
food poisoning?
a. Avoid the use of raw egg
products
b. Avoid the use of raw milk
c. Cook all meat products
thoroughly
d. Frequent hand washing
e. All of the above
24. Which patient populations are more
susceptible to Salmonellosis?
a. AIDS patients
b. Caucasians of European descent
c. Females
d. Males
e. All of the above
25. Of the following patient populations,
which would be LESS susceptible to
Salmonellosis?
a. AIDS patients
b. Caucasians of European descent
c. Cancer patients
d. Elderly
e. Infants