Important Questions – General Microbiology

General Microbiology

1. Contributions of Louis Pasteur to Microbiology

2. Contributions of Robert Koch
3. Koch’s postulates

Microscopy
1. Dark field microscope
2. Phase contrast microscope
3. Fluorescence microscope
4. Electron microscope

Morphology and Physiology of Bacteria

1. Gram positive cell wall with diagram
2. Gram negative cell wall with diagram
3. Differences between Gram positive and Gram negative cell wall
4. Capsule
5. Flagella
6. Fimbriae/ pili
7. L forms
8. Bacterial spore
9. Bacterial growth curve
10. Classification of bacteria based on Oxygen requirement

Laboratory Diagnosis of Bacterial Infections

1. Enriched media
Types of hemolysis on blood agar
2. Enrichment Broth
3. Selective media
4. Transport media
5. Differential media
6. Anaerobic culture media
7. Automated blood culture systems
8. Anaerobic culture methods
9. Name some automated systems for bacterial identification
10.Antimicrobial susceptibility testing
- Disk diffusion methods – Kirby Bauer and Stokes’
- Dilution tests – Agar dilution and broth dilution
- E-test
- Names of Automated systems

11. PCR – principle, applications

Bacterial Genetics

1. Plasmids
2. Horizontal gene transfer – transformation, transduction, conjugation
3. What are transposons?

Antimicrobial resistance
Mechanisms of antimicrobial resistance
1. Decreased cell wall permeability
2. Efflux pumps
3. Enzymatic inactivation
4. Altered target sites

Pathogenesis
Mode of transmission
Intracellular survival
Differences between exotoxin and endotoxin

General Virology
1. How do viruses differ from bacteria?
2. Inclusion bodies
3. Virus isolation – animal inoculation, embryonated egg, tissue culture
4. Types of cell lines
5. Interferons
6. Examples of DNA and RNA viruses
7. What are arboviruses?

General Parasitology
1. Definition of definitive host and intermediate host
2. Stool examination – saline wet mount and iodine wet mount
3. Name the non-bile stained helminthic eggs
4. General characteristics of cestodes, trematodes and nematodes
5. Name some stool concentration techniques

General Mycology
1. Morphological classification of fungi with examples
2. What are dimorphic fungi? Give examples
3.Taxonomical classification of fungi
4. Name the superficial fungal infections
5. Name the subcutaneous fungal infections
6. Examples of systemic mycoses
7. Name the opportunistic mycoses
8. Define mycotoxicoses and mycetism
Epidemiology of Infectious Disease

1. Define outbreak, epidemic, pandemic, endemic, hyperendemic, sporadic diseases with

examples

2. Types of carriers
3. Fomites
4. Modes of transmission of disease
5. Name some pathogens causing congenital infection

Sterilization and Disinfection

1. Types of disinfectants – high level, intermediate level and low level with examples
2. Definition of sterilization, disinfection, antisepsis, decontamination
3. Spaulding’s classification of medical devices
4. Methods of sterilization by heat
5. Autoclave
6. Hot air oven
7. Tyndallization
8. Inspissation
9. Pasteurization
10. Ethylene oxide sterilization
11. Plasma sterilization
12. Filtration
13. Radiation
14. Cold sterilization
15. Glutaraldehyde, alcohol, hypochlorite, iodine, hydrogen peroxide

Normal microbial flora

1. Examples of normal microbial flora and sites where they are found
2. What are probiotics?
 IMMUNOLOGY

IMMUNITY
1. Define innate immunity. Mechanisms of innate immunity
2. Differences between innate and acquired immunity
3. Differences between active and passive immunity
4. Differences between primary and secondary immune response
5. Herd immunity
6. Adoptive immunity

ANTIGEN
1. Define antigen, epitope, hapten, adjuvant
2. Superantigens
3. Heterophile antigens

ANTIBODY
1. Structure of immunoglobulin
2. Features of IgM, IgA, IgG, IgD, IgE
3. Monoclonal antibodies

ANTIGEN ANTIBODY REACTIONS

1. Lattice hypothesis]
2. Prozone phenomenon
3. Precipitation reactions
4. Agglutination reactions
5. ELISA
6. Immunochromatography
7. Chemiluminescence immuno assay
8. Immunofluorescence

COMPLEMENT
1. Classical complement pathway
2. Complement deficiency

Structure and Function of Immune Response

1. Name the primary/central lymphoid organs
2. Name the secondary/ peripheral lymphoid organs
3. Cytokines
4. B cells
5. T cells
6. NK cells
7. MHC

Immune Responses
1. Cell mediated immune response
2. Antibody-mediated immune response
3. ADCC

HYPERSENSITIVITY
1. Gell and Coomb classification of hypersensitivity reactions
2. Define hypersensitivity
3. Type 1 hypersensitivity
4. Type 2 hypersensitivity
5. Type 3 hypersensitivity
6. Type 4 hypersensitivity

AUTOIMMUNITY
1. Define Autoimmunity
2. Mechanisms of autoimmunity
3. Systemic and organ-specific autoimmune disorders

IMMUNOLOGY OF TRANSPLANTATION AND TUMOURS

1. What are autografts, isografts, allografts and xenografts?
2. Acute graft rejection
3. Chronic graft rejection
4. Hyperacute graft rejection
5. Graft versus host reaction
6. Name some methods of HLA typing
7. Name some tumour specific antigens (TSAs) and tumour associated antigens (TAAs)

IMMUNODEFICIENCY DISORDERS
1. Classify immunodeficiency disorders
2. Name the disorders of phagocytosis
3. SCID
4. Chronic granulomatous disease
5. Job’s syndrome

IMMUNOPROPHYLAXIS
1. Types of vaccines and examples of each
2. Killed vs Live vaccines
3. Cold chain
4. Passive immunoprophylaxis
 BLOOD AND CVS

1. Infective endocarditis – causative organisms

Staphylococcus aureus, CONS, Viridans Streptococci

What is MRSA? – lab diagnosis, importance in hospital infections

HACEK group

Modified Duke criteria – not asked usually

Blood culture – collection of sample for blood culture – important

2. Rheumatic fever - Jones criteria

Group A Streptococcal infections – suppurative features

(non-suppurative) Sequelae of Group A streptococcal infections - important

How to identify Group A Streptococci

3. Causes of pyrexia of unknown origin

4. Enteric fever – typhoid, paratyphoid A,B,C

Causative organisms, pathogenesis, clinical features, laboratory diagnosis, treatment, vaccines

Widal test

Castaneda method of culture

5. Brucellosis/ Malta fever/ Undulant fever – c/f, laboratory diagnosis, treatment

Castaneda method of culture

Standard agglutination test

6. Leptospirosis – c/f, pathogenesis, laboratory diagnosis, treatment

What is Weil’s disease?

7. Rickettsial fevers – overview - names of Rickettsia, vector, disease caused

Scrub typhus in detail

Weil Felix test

8. Plague – causative organism, vector, name the clinical forms?

9. HIV – Structure, pathogenesis, c/f, laboratory diagnosis, anti-retroviral drugs

What is window period?

NACO strategy in HIV testing

Name bacterial, viral, fungal, parasitic opportunistic infections (OIs) seen in HIV-AIDS
10. Arboviruses – definition, examples – especially those found in India

Dengue, Chikungunya, West Nile fever, Zika, Japanese encephalitis (CNS infection), KFD, etc.

Dengue – vector, pathogenesis, clinical features, laboratory diagnosis

Antibody-dependent enhancement

Kyasanur Forest disease – short note – 2-5 marks

11. Viral Haemorrhagic fevers – names

Dengue, KFD in detail

Others: Ebola, Marburg, Yellow fever, Crimean Congo Haemorrhagic fever, etc

12. Diseases caused by EBV, CMV – names

13. Malaria – vector, life cycle, c/f, laboratory diagnosis, treatment *****

Falciparum malaria – clinical features, complications, lab diagnosis

Name the infections that can be detected on peripheral blood smear

14. Visceral Leishmaniasis/ Kala azar –vector, c/f, laboratory diagnosis

What is PKDL?

What are LD bodies?

15. Toxoplasmosis – c/f, lab diagnosis

15. Lymphatic filariasis – vectors, causative organisms, c/f, laboratory diagnosis, treatment

16. Candidiasis – c/f, laboratory diagnosis, treatment

Germ tube test/ Reynolds Braude phenomenon

17. Dimorphic fungi: definition, examples

Name the systemic mycoses

Histoplasmosis

18. Infecions causing anemia – bacterial, viral, parasitic

Hookworm – life cycle, c/f, lab diagnosis, treatment

Trichuriasis
 QUESTIONS – GI AND HEPATOBILIARY INFECTIONS

1. Name the bacterial and parasitic agents causing dysentery.

2. What is traveler’s diarrhea? Name the agents causing it.
3. What is persistent diarrhea? Name the agents causing it.
4. Name 2 microbial agents that cause food poisoning within
a) 2-6 hours
b) 8-16 hours
c) More than 16 hours

5. Mycotoxicosis and mycetism

6.Name the diarrheagenic E.coli. Write a short note on
a) ETEC
b) Name the complication associated with EHEC diarrhea
6. Write a short note on shigellosis
7. Name some Non-typhoidal Salmonella
8. Epidemiology, pathogenesis, clinical features, laboratory diagnosis, treatment of cholera.
Cholera vaccines
9. Name some halophilic vibrios
10. Clinical manifestations of Helicobacter pylori infections – MCQ/short answer question
Urea breath test
11. Pseudomembranous colitis/ Clostridioides difficile associated diarrhea – SAQ
12. Name the viruses causing gastroenteritis. Write a short note on rotaviral diarrhea
13. Clinical features and laboratory diagnosis of (with diagrams of trophozoite and cyst)
a. intestinal amoebiasis
b. amoebic liver abscess

14. Clinical features and laboratory diagnosis of giardiasis (with diagrams of trophozoite and
cyst)
15. What is entero test/string test? - 2 marks
16. Clinical features and laboratory diagnosis of infections due to intestinal coccidian parasites
(cryptosporidiasis, cyclosporiasis, isosporiasis)
17. Balantidium coli infections - MCQs - ciliate protozoan, with macro and micronucleus
18. Difference betweenroutes of transmission and clinical features of of intestinal taeniasis and
cysticercosis
19. Diphyllobothrium latum infections – MCQS – parasite causing megaloblastic anemia
20. Name the intestinal cestodes
21. Name the intestinal trematodes
22. What is katayama fever?
23. What is cercarial itch/dermatitis?
24. Name the intestinal nematodes.
25. Life cycle, clinical features, laboratory diagnosis, treatment of ascariasis, hookworm
infections, trichuriasis enterobiasis, strongyloidiasis
Strongyloides hyperinfection syndrome
 QUESTIONS – GI AND HEPATOBILIARY INFECTIONS

Hepatobiliary infections

1. Pathogenesis, laboratory diagnosis, treatment and prevention of hepatitis B

Hepatitis B active, passive and combined immunization.

2. Hepatitis C infections
3. Table showing differences between the hepatitis viruses. Roures of transmission, incubation
period, chronicity, oncogenic potential, prophylaxis, etc.

4. Hepatitis A/ Hepatitis D – SAQ

5. Amoebic liver abscess

6. Hydatid disease / echinococcosis – life cycle, pathogenesis, clinical features, laboratory
diagnosis, treatment. Diagram of hydatid cyst

7. Parasites causing cancer - MCQ

Important questions – Skin and soft tissue and musculoskeletal infections

Bacterial infections

Staphylococcal SSTIs including toxin-mediated SSTIs

SSTIs caused by Streptococcus pyogenes

Virulence factors of Staphylococcus aureus

Sequelae of infections caused by Streptococcus pyogenes

Cutaneous anthrax

Gas gangrene

Leprosy – clinical types and lab diagnosis

Non-tuberculous mycobacteria – classification and common infections (Buruli ulcer and Fish tank
granuloma for MCQs)

Viral infections

Herpes Simplex Virus – 1&2 – infections caused

Varicella, herpes zoster

Small pox – eradication

M(onkey)pox

Measles, Mumps, rubella, MMR vaccine

Fungal infections

Superficial fungal infections – Dermatophytes

Subcutaneous fungal infections - Mycetoma (Eumycetoma, actinomycotic mycetoma,

botryomycosis)

Sporotrichosis

Chromoblastomycosis (What are sclerotic bodies/ Medlar bodies/copper penny bodies)

Parasites: Loa Loa ( What is Calabar swelling)

Larva migrans (cutaneous/ visceral)

Ground itch

Swimmer’s itch

PKDL (Post-Kala azar dermal leishmaniasis)

Cutaneous leishmaniaisis

Chagoma
Respiratory system:

Agents causing community-acquired bacterial pneumonia : Streptococcus pneumoniae,

H.influenzae,

What is atypical pneumonia ? – Name the agents. Mycoplasma pneumonia, Chlamydophila

pneumoniae TWAR agent, psittacosis, legionellosis, Pneumocystis jirovecii

Upper respiratory tract infections

Pharyngitis: group A Streptococcus

Diphtheria – clinical features, toxin, pathogenesis, laboratory diagnosis, treatment,

vaccine

Pertussis – clinical features, vaccine

Tuberculosis – Pathogenesis, clinicalc features, laboratory diagnosis, treatment (first-line) , MDR-

TB definition, XDR-TB definition, short note on NTEP

Melioidosis – in brief

Influenza – clinical features, lab diagnosis, antigenic shift and drift

Measles, Mumps

COVID – Clinical features, lab diagnosis in detail, treatment, vaccines

Paragonimiasis - Lung fluke – pathogenesis, clinical features, lab diagnosis, treatment

What are the features of tropical pulmonary eosinophilia?

What is Loeffler’s syndrome?

Write a short note on rhinocerebral mucormycosis (CNS/RS)

Write a short note on clinical features of aspergillosis

CNS

Agents of pyogenic meningitis : Streptococcus pneumoniae, Hemophilus influenzae type b,

Neisseria meningitidis, Group B Beta-hemolytic Streptococcus (neonatal meningitis), Listeria
monocytogene, Escherichia coli

Clinical features and laboratory diagnosis of pyogenic meningitis

Chronic meningitis: TB, Cryptococcal meningitis, neurosyphilis

Primary amoebic meningoencephalitis

Free-living amoebae – Naegleria, Acanthamoeba, Balamuthia

Viral encephalitis: HSV, Enteroviruses, Japanese encephalitis, West Nile, mumps – c/f, vaccine

Rabies – pathogenesis, clinical features, lab diagnosis, pre-and post-exposure prophylaxis

Rabies vaccines

Poliomyelitis – clinical features, lab diagnosis, vaccines

Tetanus – Clinical features, pathogenesis, vaccines

Botulism – for MCQs

Nipah – short notes

Toxoplasma encephalitis – clinical features, laboratory diagnosis

Neurocysticercosis

Cerebral malaria

What is SSPE (in measles)?

Slow viral / Prion diseases

Genitourinary system

UTI – agents, types (upper/lower), complicated UTI

What is significant bacteriuria/ Kass’ concept?

Clinical features, laboratory diagnosis of UTI

Urinary schistosomiasis

Sexually transmitted infections

Agents causing genital lesions: syphilis (clinical features, laboratory diagnosis, treatment),

chancroid, LGV, donovanosis, HSV-2

Standard tests for syphilis / non-specific serological tests

Specific serological tests

Genital warts – HPV

Agents causing urethritis: Neisseria gonorrheae

What is non-gonococcal urethritis? Name the agents, clinical features, lab diagnosis, treatment

Trichomoniasis

Vaginal candidiasis , bacterial vaginosis (MCQ)

Sexually transmitted infections : (not causing urethritis/genital ulcers) – HIV, hepatitis B/C
Miscellaneous

Congenital infections – toxoplasmosis, rubella, cytomegalovirus, Herpes, others

Zoonotic infections – examples of bacteria, viruses, parasites, fungi

Agents of bioterrorism - anthrax, small pox, plague, botulinum toxin, others

Opportunistic infections – examples - bacterial, viral, parasitic, fungal

OIs in AIDS

Nationsl health programs: NTEP, NVBDCP, etc

Bacteriology of air, water, milk - short notes

Multiple tube test, Eijkmann test

Arboviral infections, vector-borne infections

Transfusion-transmitted infections