IHS 340 Exam

•  Which of the following statements is/are TRUE?

  I. The epithelium is the single cell layer lining the aerodigestive tract that is predominantly made up of smooth muscle cells, connective tissue, blood vessel cells, and lymphatic vessels cells.

  II. The microbiome is in direct contact with the epithelium and invasion is prevented by anti-microbial peptides produced by the epithelium.

  (A) Only I is true

  (B) Only II is true

  (C) Both I and II are true

  (D) Both I and II are false

  
  

  A: D
• Choose the one best answer: Which of the following statements is/are TRUE??

  (A) Birth mode (vaginal vs. Caesarian) shapes the microbiome composition during early life

  (B) Diet shapes the microbiome composition during early life

  (C) The concentration of bacteria in the GI tract increases as you move along the GI tract (starting from the stomach through the small intestine and then the large intestine).

  (D) Only two of the above statements (A-C) are TRUE

  (E) All of the statements (A, B & C) above are TRUE

  
  

  A: E
• According to the hygiene hypothesis, increased antibiotic use is associated with __________.

  (A) a lower incidence of allergies & asthma

  (B) a higher incidence of allergies & asthma

  (C) a lower incidence of viral infections

  (D) an increased burden of helminths

  A: B
• Dysbiosis can be defined as  _______________.

  (A) the difference in microbiome composition between two individuals

  (B) the ability of microbiome to resist invasion by a disease-causing microorganism

  (C) the ability of an antibiotic to only kill a very narrow range of bacterial species

  (D) a change in the microbiome community composition of an individual that results in a change in health

  A: D
• Choose the one best answer: The biodiversity hypothesis can be thought of as an extension of __________.

  (A) the hygiene hypothesis 

  (B) the "old friends" hypothesis

  (C) the disappearing microbiota hypothesis or microbiota hypothesis

  (D) only two of the above options (A-C)

  (E) Options A, B & C above

  A: E
• Choose the one best answer: What is meant by "old friends" in the "old friends hypothesis of atopic disease"?

  (A) Microbiome members transmitted to an individual by mothers and other family members.

  (B) Exposure to mildly pathogenic and non-pathogenic microorganisms from the natural environment that can modulate immunity and diversify host microbiomes.

  (C) Chronic low-grade infections that can persist in small, isolated human populations as relatively harmless subclinical infections or carrier states. 

  (D) Only two of the above options (A-C)

  (E) Options A, B & C above

  A: E
• Choose the one best answer:  Which of the following factors will significantly decrease transmission of a respiratory viral infection?

  (A) disinfection of surfaces

  (B) wearing a mask

  (C) ventilation of a closed space

  (D) Only two of the above (A-C) are correct

  (E) Options A, B, & C above are all correct

  A: D
• Which of the following statements is/are TRUE?

  I.  The number and viral load of aerosols produced through speaking and other expiratory activities are much higher than those of droplets

  II. Exposure to aerosols is more likely at close range because exhaled aerosols are more concentrated closer to the person emitting them

  (A) Only I is true.          (B) Only II is true.                (C) Both I & II are true.            (D) Both I & II are false.

  A: C
• Which of the following statements is/are TRUE?

  I.  Droplets produced by an infected individual through coughing or sneezing cannot convey infection at short distances (less than 19 inches).

  II. The size distinction between aerosols and droplets is around 100 um. 100 um represents the largest water particles that can remain suspended in still air for >5 s (from a height of 1.5 m), can travel beyond 1 m from the infectious person, and can be inhaled.

  (A) Only I is true.          (B) Only II is true.                (C) Both I & II are true.            (D) Both I & II are false.

  A: B
• Which of the following statements is/are TRUE?

  I.  Aerosols are microscopic liquid, solid, or semisolid particles that are so small that they remain suspended in air.

  II. Respiratory aerosols are produced during all expiratory activities, including breathing, talking, singing, shouting, coughing, and sneezing from those with respiratory infections but not from healthy individuals.

  (A) Only I is true.          (B) Only II is true.                (C) Both I & II are true.            (D) Both I & II are false.

  A: A
• Dendritic cells present extracellular-acquired antigen to which type of cell?

  (A) epithelial cells

  (B) mast cell

  (C) B cell

  (D) T cell

  (E) macrophage

  A: D
• Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of a cytokine?

  (A) it is a protein produced by infectious agents, such as bacteria

  (B) it binds to a specific receptor on host cells

  (C) it is an intercellular signaling molecule

  (D) it can act locally or systemically

  (E) it can have multiple effects, depending on the target cell

  A: A
• Which one of the following cells is the primary source of cytokine signals to activate B cells for isotype switching?

  (A)  Dendritic cell

  (B)  Tc cell

  (C)  Th cell

  (D)  Macrophage

  (E)  Monocyte

  A: C
• Which one of the following microorganisms caused 25-50 million deaths in Europe from 1347-1352? 

  (A) Influenza A virus

  (B) Polio virus

  (C) Mycobacterium tuberculosis

  (D) Yersinia pestis

  (E) Variola virus

  A: D
• Which one of the following microorganisms is estimated to have killed well over 300 million people throughout history but was eliminated from the human population by a successful global vaccination campaign?

  (A) Influenza A virus

  (B) Polio virus

  (C) Mycobacterium tuberculosis

  (D) Yersinia pestis

  (E) Smallpox virus

  A: E
• Choose the one best answer: Which of the following is typically the smallest in size? 

  (A) bacterium

  (B) protozoa

  (C) virus

  (D) two of the above (A-C) are the smallest and approximately the same size

  (E) all of the above (A, B & C) are approximately the same size

  A: C
• Choose the one best answer: Which of the following statements is/are TRUE about 

  SARS-CoV-2? 

  (A) The infection is predominantly spread via vertical transmission.

  (B) The infection is predominantly spread via airborne transmission

  (C) Surface contact is a major mode of transmission

  (D) Only two of the above (A-C) are TRUE

  (E) Options A, B & C are all TRUE

  A: B
• What cell produces antibodies?

  (A) Th2 cells

  (B) Th1 cells

  (C) ILC2

  (D) Th17 cells

  (E) B cells

  A: E
• An antibody is a type of ___________.

  (A) signal molecule

  (B) lipid

  (C) gene 

  (D) cell

  (E) receptor

  A: E
• The specific molecular structure on an antigen that is specifically bound by an antibody is called _________.

  (A) an immunoglobulin

  (B) a heavy chain

  (C) a cross-reactive ligand

  (D) a MAMP (or PAMP) 

  (E) an epitope

  A: E
• The cell surface receptors that bind the constant region of an antibody molecule and provides additional functions to an antibody molecule are called ___________.

  (A) co-stimulatory molecules

  (B) degenerate receptors

  (C) MHC molecules 

  (D) cytokine receptors

  (E) Fc receptors

  A: E
• How do B cells produce unique antigen receptors?

  recombination of V, D, J (variable) gene regions
• Many airborne allergens possess enzymatic activity that promote epithelial damage.
• The production of alarmins by the epithelium can activate ILC2 cells in the underlying tissue.
• Which of the following statements is/are TRUE?

  I.  Mast cells are activated by antigen cross-linking of the IgE bound by FcR on their cell surface.

  II. Mast cell activation results in the rapid release of its granules which contain histamine.

  (A) Only I is true.          (B) Only II is true.             (C) Both I & II are true.       (D) Both I & II are false.

  A: C
• Which one of the following cytokines are NOT produced in significant amounts by Th2 cells?

  (A) IL-25

  (B) IL-13

  (C) IL-5

  (D) IL-4

  A: A
• Omalizumab is an IgE-specific monoclonal antibody that is being used a biotherapeutic in treating allergic diseases.  It functions by ___________.

  (A) binding to the variable region of allergen-specific IgE molecules and blocking the allergen from binding

  (B) binding to the constant region of IgE molecules and preventing interactions with the high affinity IgE FcR on mast cells, basophils and eosinophils

  (C) killing cells in the body that express the high affinity IgE FcR, such as mast cells, basophils and eosinophils

  A: B
• Food allergen cross-reactivity and multiple food allergies is due to molecular structural similarities at the level of _________.

  allergen epitopes
• “Stimulation of inflammatory and adverse physiologic responses by non-antigenic components of food” describes _____________.

  (A) the atopic march 

  (B) immunization 

  (C) food allergies

  (D) oral immunotherapy

  (E) food sensitivities

  A: E
• Which one of the following is the predominant signal for the development of Th2 responses?

  IL-4
• Which one of the following is not a tenet of the Damage Response Framework Hypothesis?

  (A) The microorganism must be found in abundance in all organisms suffering from the disease but should not be found in healthy organisms.

  (B) The host-relevant outcome of the host–microorganism interaction is determined by the amount of damage to the host.

  (C) Host damage can result from microbial factors and/or the host response.

  A: A
• Which of the following is not a tenet of Koch's postulates?

  (A) Microbial pathogenesis is an outcome of an interaction between a host and a microorganism.

  (B) The microorganism must be isolated from a diseased organism and grown in pure culture.

  (C) The microorganism must be reisolated from the inoculated, diseased experimental host and identified as being identical to the original specific causative agent.

  (D) The cultured microorganism should cause disease when introduced into a healthy organism.

  A: A
• The most effective weapon in public health for limiting transmission of infectious diseases

   is/are _______.

  (A) antibiotics

  (B) phenol

  (C) handwashing

  (D) surveillance & outbreak reporting

  (E) hospitals

  A: C
• Which one of the following is a characteristic of an antibody?

  (A) glycoprotein secreted from cells in the epithelium

  (B) contains one peptide chain that binds a single antigen

  (C) transcribed straight from germline DNA

  (D) only found as a cell-surface bound molecule

  (E) can be found in the serum and tissue fluids

  A: E
• What is the ligand for the T cell receptor?

  (A) CD4

  (B) PRR

  (C) soluble antigens

  (D) peptides held in place by an MHC molecule

  (E) antibody-bound antigens

  A: D
• Interactions between Th cells and dendritic cells largely take place in which organ/tissue in the body?

  (A) Blood

  (B) Lymph node

  (C) Liver

  (D) Bone marrow

  (E) intestinal epithelium

  A: B
• T cells interact with the antigen peptide-MHCII complex on B cells using _______.

  (A) cytokines

  (B) endocytosis

  (C) CD8 molecule

  (D) cell surface immunoglobulin

  (E) T-cell receptors

  A: E
• Which one of the following is NOT an antigen-presenting cell?

  (A)  Th cell 

  (B)  Dendritic cell

  (C)  B cell

  (D)  Macrophage

  A: A
• The term "Atopic March" is used to describe ____________.

  (A) the regression of allergic diseases in an individual during successful immunotherapy

  (B) the need for increasing amounts of medications in allergic children as they age

  (C) the progression of allergic diseases in an individual from allergic rhinitis to allergic asthma to atopic dermatitis as they go from infancy to adolescence

  (D) the progression of allergic diseases in an individual from atopic dermatitis and food allergies to allergic asthma and to allergic rhinitis as they go from infancy to adolescence

  A: D
• Barrier defects in the skin or intestinal epithelium are hypothesized to ___________.

  (A) result in the development of Treg responses to food allergens

  (B) result in the development of Th2 responses to food allergens

  (C) result in the development of Th1 responses to food allergens

  (D) prevent the development of immune responses to food allergens

  A: B