MEDICAL AND VETERINARY ENTOMOLOGY, 2nd Edition
Editors, Gary R. Mullen and Lance A. Durden
Sample Questions for Website
CHAPTER 1 – Introduction by Lance A. Durden and Gary R. Mullen
MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS
1) Acarology addresses the study of which of these organisms?
A. Insects
B. All arthropods
C. Mites
D. All invertebrates
E. Both mites and insects
2) Who first demonstrated the transmission of filarial nematodes by mosquitoes in 1877?
A. Theobald Smith and F. L. Kilbourne
B. Sir Ronald Ross
C. Patrick Manson
D. Josiah Nott
E. Charles Nicolle
3) Who first demonstrated the transmission of the agent of Texas cattle fever (bovine
babesiosis) by ticks in 1891?
A. Theobald Smith and F. L. Kilbourne
B. Sir Ronald Ross
C. Patrick Manson
D. Josiah Nott
E. Charles Nicolle
4) Who first demonstrated the transmission of the agent of epidemic (louse-borne) typhus
by human body lice in 1909?
A. Theobald Smith and F. L. Kilbourne
B. Sir Ronald Ross
C. Patrick Manson
D. Josiah Nott
E. Charles Nicolle
5) Who first demonstrated the transmission of the agent of American trypanosomiasis by
kissing (conenose) bugs in 1908?
A. Carlos Chagas
B. Sir Ronald Ross
C. Patrick Manson
D. Carlos Finlay
E. Walter Reed
6) Who definitively demonstrated the transmission of Yellow Fever virus by mosquitoes
in 1900?
A. Carlos Chagas
B. Sir Ronald Ross
C. Patrick Manson
D. Carlos Finlay
E. Walter Reed
7) Who first demonstrated the transmission of the causative agent of Rocky Mountain
spotted fever by ticks in 1906?
A. Theobald Smith and F. L. Kilbourne
B. Howard Taylor Ricketts
C. F. P. Mackie
D. Carlos Finlay
E. Charles Nicolle
8) Which insects are included in the order Blattaria?
A. Cockroaches
B. Lice
C. True Flies
D. Fleas
E. Beetles
9) Which insects are included in the order Phthiraptera?
A. Cockroaches
B. Lice
C. True Flies
D. Siphonaptera
E. Beetles
10) Which insects are included in the order Coleoptera?
A. Cockroaches
B. Lice
C. True Flies
D. Fleas
E. Beetles
11) Which insects are included in the order Diptera?
A. Cockroaches
B. Lice
C. True Flies
D. Fleas
E. Beetles
12) Which insects are included in the order Siphonaptera?
A. Cockroaches
B. Lice
C. True Flies
D. Fleas
E. Beetles
13) Which arthropods are included in the order Araneae?
A. Scorpions
B. Spiders
C. Ticks
D. Solpugids
E. Mites
14) How many stages of immune responses are recognized in humans and animals
repeatedly exposed to bites or stings of the same or antigenically related arthropods?
A. 10
B. 6
C. 3
D. 12
E. 5
15) What is myiasis?
A. Extreme hypersensitivity to arthropod bites or stings
B. Parasitism by lice
C. Parasitism by fleas
D. Invasion of host tissues by fly larvae
E. A parasite avoidance response by the host
16) What is an arbovirus?
A. A virus transmitted by arthropods
B. A virus found on trees
C. A virus only found in insects
D. A virus only transmitted by ticks
E. A virus only transmitted by mosquitoes
17) How does biological transmission differ from mechanical transmission by a vector?
A. In biological transmission, the agent undergoes a developmental cycle in the vector
before it can be transmitted to another host
B. In biological transmission, the agent does not undergo a developmental cycle in the
vector before it can be transmitted to another host
C. In biological transmission, another species of arthropod facilitates transmission
D. In biological transmission, there is no reservoir host
E. In biological transmission, 2 or more pathogens are always transmitted at the same
time by the vector
18) What is entomophobia?
A. Fear of spiders
B. Fear of mites
C. An imagined skin infestation by arthropods
D. An imagined internal infestation by arthropods
E. Fear of insects
19) What is another term for delusory parasitosis?
A. Acarophobia
B. Myiasis
C. Apyrase
D. Ekbom syndrome
E. Arachnophobia
20) What is an analgesic?
A. A factor that prevents blood from clotting
B. A local pain killer
C. A parasitic fly
D. A factor that dilates blood vessels
E. A factor that promotes healing after an insect bite
21) What is an anticoagulant?
A. A factor that prevents blood from clotting
B. A local pain killer
C. A parasitic fly
D. A factor that dilates blood vessels
E. A factor that promotes healing after an insect bite
22) What is another term for Morgellons Disease?
A. Acarophobia
B. Myiasis
C. Unexplained dermopathy
D. Immunosupression
E. Immunomodulation
23) How can a few species of walkingsticks (stick insects) cause medical/veterinary
problems?
A. By stinging
B. By spraying defensive secretions that can irritate the skin
C. By transmitting pathogenic viruses
D. By transmitting pathogenic bacteria
E. By laying their eggs under the skin
24) Which of these insects often cause inhalational allergies in humans following large
emergences of the adult insects?
A. Mayflies
B. Walkingsticks (stick insects)
C. Thrips
D. Earwigs
E. Praying mantids
25) Which of these blood-feeding insects complete their entire life cycle on the host?
A. Fleas
B. Mosquitoes
C. Sucking lice
D. Kissing (conenose) bugs
E. Bed bugs
26) Which of these groups of arthropods transmit Yellow fever and West Nile viruses?
A. Ticks
B. Kissing (conenose) bugs
C. Deer flies
D. Mosquitoes
E. Blackflies
27) Which of these groups of arthropods transmit the causative agents of Rocky
Mountain spotted fever and Babesiosis?
A. Ticks
B. Kissing (conenose) bugs
C. Deer flies
D. Mosquitoes
E. Blackflies
28) Which of these groups of arthropods transmit the causative agents of Malaria to
humans?
A. Ticks
B. Kissing (conenose) bugs
C. Deer flies
D. Mosquitoes
E. Blackflies
29) Which of these groups of arthropods transmit the causative agents of Plague and
murine (endemic) typhus to humans?
A. Fleas
B. Kissing (conenose) bugs
C. Sucking lice
D. Chewing lice
E. Cockroaches
30) How can some millipedes cause medical/veterinary problems?
A. By stinging
B. By spraying defensive secretions that can irritate the skin
C. By transmitting pathogenic viruses
D. By transmitting pathogenic bacteria
E. By laying their eggs under the skin
ANSWERS (Multiple Choice Questions)
1C
2C
3A
4E
5A
6E
7B
8A
9B
10E
11C
12D
13B
14E
15D
16A
17A
18E
19D
20B
21A
22C
23B
24A
25C
26D
27A
28D
29A
30B
SHORT ANSWER QUESTIONS
1) Acarology specifically addresses the study of which group of organisms?
2) Who first demonstrated the transmission of filarial nematodes by mosquitoes in 1877?
3) Who first demonstrated the transmission of the agent of Texas cattle fever (bovine
babesiosis) by ticks in 1891?
4) Who first demonstrated the transmission of the agent of epidemic (louse-borne) typhus
by human body lice in 1909?
5) Who first demonstrated the transmission of the agent of American trypanosomiasis by
kissing (conenose) bugs in 1908?
6) Who first definitively demonstrated the transmission of Yellow Fever virus by
mosquitoes in 1900?
7) Who first demonstrated the transmission of the causative agent of Rocky Mountain
spotted fever by ticks in 1906?
8) Which insects are included in the order Blattaria?
9) Which insects are included in the order Phthiraptera?
10) Which insects are included in the order Coleoptera?
11) Which insects are included in the order Diptera?
12) Which insects are included in the order Siphonaptera?
13) Which arthropods are included in the order Araneae?
14) How many stages of immune responses are recognized in humans and animals
repeatedly exposed to bites or stings of the same or antigenically related arthropods?
15) What, specifically, is myiasis?
16) What, specifically, is an arbovirus?
17) How does biological transmission differ from mechanical transmission by a vector?
18) What, specifically, is entomophobia?
19) What, specifically, is delusory parasitosis?
20) What, specifically, is an analgesic?
21) What, specifically, is an anticoagulant?
22) What is Morgellons Disease?
23) Specifically, how can a few species of walkingsticks (stick insects) cause
medical/veterinary problems?
24) Specifically, how can adults of some species of mayflies cause medical problems?
25) Name a group of blood-feeding insects that complete their entire life cycle on the
host.
26) What kind (group) of arthropods transmit Yellow fever and West Nile viruses?
27) What kind (group) of arthropods transmit the causative agents of Rocky Mountain
spotted fever and Babesiosis?
28) What kind (group) of arthropods transmit the causative agents of Malaria to humans?
29) What kind (group) of arthropods transmit the causative agents of Plague and murine
(endemic) typhus to humans?
30) Specifically, how can some millipedes cause medical/veterinary problems?
ANSWERS (Short Answer Questions)
1) Mites (including ticks)
2) Patrick Manson
3) Theobald Smith and F. L. Kilbourne
4) Charles Nicolle
5) Carlos Chagas
6) Walter Reed
7) Howard Taylor Ricketts
8) Cockroaches
9) Lice (chewing lice and sucking lice)
10) Beetles
11) True Flies (Flies is also acceptable)
12) Fleas
13) Spiders
14) 5
15) Invasion of host tissues by fly larvae
16) A virus transmitted by arthropods
17) In biological transmission, the agent undergoes a developmental cycle in the vector
before it can be transmitted to another host. It does not in mechanical transmission.
18) (Irrational) fear of insects
19) An imagined (psychological) infestation of the body by parasites
20) A local pain killer (often secreted by blood-feeding arthropods when they feed on a
host)
21) A factor that prevents blood from clotting (often secreted by blood-feeding
arthropods when they feed on a host)
22) Unexplained dermopathy (skin pathology) often attributed to arthropods whether
these are present or not
23) By spraying defensive secretions that can irritate the skin
24) By causing inhalational allergies in humans following large emergences; tiny
particles of mayflies become aerosolized and are inhaled.
25) Lice (especially sucking lice which feed on blood – few chewing lice feed on blood)
or polyctenid bat bugs (Phthiraptera, Anoplura, Polyctenidae also acceptable)
26) Mosquitoes
27) Ticks
28) Mosquitoes
29) Fleas
30) By spraying defensive secretions that can irritate the skin
ESSAY/ASSIGNMENT QUESTIONS
1) Write an account of the historical discoveries of pathogen/parasite transmission by
arthropods during the golden age of medical entomology.
2) Write an account of medical/veterinary problems caused by arthropods of minor
imoportance
3) Discuss Host Responses and Allergic Reactions to arthropods.
ANSWERS (ESSAY/ASSIGNMENT QUESTIONS)
1) Students should address the diseases, causative agents, places (if appropriate) and
importance behind the relevant luminaries and their discoveries discussed in the section
entitled “A brief History of Medical/Veterinary Entomology) on pages 2-3 of the
textbook. Discoveries by Patrick Manson, Theobald Smith and F. L. Kilbourne, Sir
Ronald Ross, Paul Louis Simond, Walter Reed, Howard Taylor Ricketts, Carlos Chagas,
Charles Nicolle and others should be included. The book section on this topic is short;
abundant additional information is included in the references cited in the appropriate
references section at the end of the chapter on pages 9-10.
2) Students should paraphrase and, ideally, expand on information included in the section
titled, “Minor Arthropod Problems of Medical-Veterinary Interest,”on pages 6-8 of the
textbook. Arthropods such as springtails, walkingsticks (stick insects), mayflies, locusts,
earwigs, bark lice, thrips, millipedes and centipedes and their associated medicalveterinary importance should be addressed. More information can be gleaned from the
references listed in the appropriate citations section on page 12 of the textbook.
3) Students should paraphrase and, ideally, expand on information included in the
sections titled, “Allergic Reactions,” and Host Defenses” on pages 4 and 6, respectively,
in the textbook. Host Responses discussed should include behavioral (grooming, biting,
evasive, defensive responses) and immunological defenses by the host. Analgesics,
anticoagulants, apyrase and immunomodulators secreted by some blood-feeding
arthropods to counteract host tissue and cellular responses should also be mentioned.
Addressing allergic reactions should include mention of the 5 sequential stages of
responses of mammals to repeated exposure to bites or stings of the same or antigenically
related arthropods. Hypersensitivity, delayed hypersensitivity, immediate sensitivity and
desensitization should all be mentioned. Students can glean more details on these and
related topics from references cited in the appropriate sections on pages 10-11 of the
textbook.