It's Biblical
Alphabet Strep Soup
Too Hot to Handle
Color me Micro
Identical Twins
100
Leviticus Chapter 13 has extended rules for the diagnosis of leprosy and the sequestering of the infected victims. Today we know that this microbe causes leprosy.
What is Mycobacterium leprae ?
100
Most common cause of "flesh-eating" bacteria
What is Group A Beta Strep?
100
Temperature that an autoclave must achieve to destroy spores of Clostridium and Bacillus
What is 250-270 degrees Fahrenheit (121-123 degrees Centrigrade)? (higher than can be achieved with mere boiling in water)
100
color of a positive Kovac's test for indole (e.g., what gets used on Microscan panels)
What is red?
100
Group B Beta Strep and Listeria monocytogenes can look exactly the same growing on blood agar, but they are easy to tell apart by these simple tests.
What is (1) gram stain? and (2) catalase? GBS is a gram-positive COCCUS, and is catalase negative. Listeria is a Gram-Positive ROD, and is catalase positive.
200
Isaiah Chapter 42 talks about blind persons, so it is an ancient affliction. Even today, the most common cause of blindness in 3rd-world countries is infection with this microbe.
What is Chlamydia trachomatis? (causes the ocular disease trachoma, as well as infections in other body sites)
200
The Beta Strep Lancefield group considered to be normal oral flora
What is Group F Strep?
200
best incubation temperature to grow Campylobacters
What is 42 degrees Centigrade?
200
Color of positive test for spot oxidase test
What is purple/lavender?
200
Group A Beta Strep (S. pyogenes) and Arcanobacterium pyogenes can look exactly the same growing on blood agar, but can be separated using this simple test.
What is a gram stain? -- GAS is a gram-positive COCCUS. A. pyogenes is a diphtheroid gram-positive ROD.
300
Leviticus Chapter 11 prohibits the eating of pork. This injunction kept the Israelites from what disease condition, caused by which microbe?
What is trichinosis, caused by eating undercooked pork containing the muscle parasite Trichinella spiralis?
300
alpha-hemolytic Streptococcus milleri (buttery aroma) is related to which Lancefield group of beta strep?
What is Group F?
300
best temperature to grow most facultative pathogens
What is 35-37 degrees Centigrade (just slightly cooler than normal body temp)
300
Color of positive DMACA indole spot test
What is blue/green?
300
Aerococcus urinae and Lactobacillus species can look the same growing on blood agar, but this simple test can separate them.
What is a gram stain? Aerococcus is a gram-positive COCCUS. Lactobacilli are gram-positive RODS.
400
The first-century Roman historian Josephus recorded that King Herold was fatally afflicted by skin itching, abdominal distenstion, and gangrene of his "privy parts." This is likely a description of this modern-day infective condition.
What is Fournier's gangrene? -- a form of polymicrobial (aerobic and anaerobic -- beta strep, staph, Bacteroides, and Clostridium) otherwise classified as one of the "flesh-eating" syndromes, notably targeting the perineal area, especially in older men. Even today the death rate approaches 80%.
400
common cause of neonatal meningitis
What is Group B Beta Strep (S. agalactiae)?
400
best temperature to grow most fungi and yeasts
What is room temperature (around 20-25 degrees Centigrade)
400
color of positive Cefinase test (for beta-lactamase)
What is pink or red?
400
Streptococcus bovis and Enterococcus faecium can both look the same on blood agar (slightly alpha hemolysis), but can be easily separated by this simple test
What is PYR? Both organisms are gram-positive cocci and are both Lancefield group D. Strep bovis is PYR negative E. faecium is PYR positive.
500
The Book of Acts recounts the sudden blindness of St. Paul and the just-as-sudden recovery of his sight. Today the most common cause of acute-onset conjunctivitis is caused by this organism.
What is Haemophilus influenzae (var aegypticus)
500
Lancefield grouping of Enterococci and Strep bovis
What is Group D?
500
Which enteric pathogen prefers growing at a cooler temp than most other food poisoning agents ( AKA cold enrichment technique)?
What is Yersinia species?
500
The bottom of a blood culture bottle starts out dull grayish-green, but changes to this color when it goes positive
What is yellow/gold? (due to change in pH from bacterial metabolism)
500
Staph aureus and Staph haemolyticus can look the same on blood agar, but can be separated by this simple test.
What is coagulase? Both are catalase-negative gpc. Staph aureus is coagulase positive. Staph haemolyticus is coagulase negative.