Introduction
Table of Contents
Below is a set of 15 multiple‐choice questions (MCQs) on Mycobacterium tuberculosis that cover key aspects—from microbiology and diagnosis to treatment and prevention. Each question is followed by four options, with the correct answer indicated afterward. You can use these questions for self‐assessment, classroom quizzes, or exam preparation.
Mycobacterium tuberculosis MCQs Quiz Set
Q1. Which type of organism is responsible for causing tuberculosis?
A. Virus
B. Bacterium
C. Fungus
D. Protozoan
Q2. Who is credited with the discovery of Mycobacterium tuberculosis?
A. Louis Pasteur
B. Robert Koch
C. Edward Jenner
D. Alexander Fleming
Q3. Which of the following culture media is most commonly used for isolating Mycobacterium tuberculosis?
A. MacConkey agar
B. Löwenstein–Jensen medium
C. Blood agar
D. Sabouraud dextrose agar
Q4. Which staining method is the standard for detecting Mycobacterium tuberculosis in clinical specimens?
A. Gram stain
B. Acid-fast stain (Ziehl–Neelsen stain)
C. India ink stain
D. Silver stain
Q5. What is the characteristic pathological feature seen in pulmonary tuberculosis?
A. Non-caseating granulomas
B. Caseating granulomas
C. Suppurative abscesses
D. Interstitial fibrosis
Q6. How is tuberculosis primarily transmitted?
A. Through ingestion of contaminated food
B. Via direct contact
C. By inhalation of airborne droplet nuclei
D. Through sexual contact
Q7. Latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) is best described as:
A. Active disease with prominent symptoms
B. Infection that is asymptomatic and non-contagious
C. A reinfection following successful treatment
D. TB is limited to extrapulmonary sites only
Q8. A patient with active pulmonary tuberculosis should be managed under which type of infection control precautions?
A. Standard precautions
B. Contact precautions
C. Droplet precautions
D. Airborne precautions
Q9. Which pair of drugs is part of the standard first-line anti-tubercular therapy?
A. Penicillin and Gentamicin
B. Ciprofloxacin and Metronidazole
C. Isoniazid and Rifampicin
D. Vancomycin and Clindamycin
Q10. One of the known side effects of Rifampicin is:
A. Ototoxicity
B. Orange discoloration of body fluids
C. Nephrotoxicity
D. Photosensitivity
Q11. Patients receiving Ethambutol require regular monitoring for which adverse effect?
A. Hearing loss
B. Visual disturbances
C. Hepatotoxicity
D. Renal impairment
Q12. Multi-drug resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) is defined as TB that is resistant to at least:
A. Isoniazid and Rifampicin
B. Isoniazid and Ethambutol
C. Rifampicin and Streptomycin
D. Pyrazinamide and Ethambutol
Q13. Which vaccine is used to help prevent tuberculosis, particularly severe forms in children?
A. DTaP
B. MMR
C. BCG (Bacille Calmette–Guérin)
D. Hepatitis B
Q14. What is the typical duration of treatment for a new case of active pulmonary tuberculosis?
A. 1–2 weeks
B. 2–4 months
C. 6–9 months
D. 12–18 months
Q15. Which test is most commonly used to screen for latent tuberculosis infection in high-risk individuals?
A. Chest X-ray
B. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR)
C. Tuberculin skin test (Mantoux test)
D. CT scan
Answer
- B. Bacterium
- B. Robert Koch
- B. Löwenstein–Jensen medium
- B. Acid-fast stain (Ziehl–Neelsen stain)
- B. Caseating granulomas
- C. By inhalation of airborne droplet nuclei
- B. Infection that is asymptomatic and non-contagious
- D. Airborne precautions
- C. Isoniazid and Rifampicin
- B. Orange discoloration of body fluids
- B. Visual disturbances
- A. Isoniazid and Rifampicin
- C. BCG (Bacille Calmette–Guérin)
- C. 6–9 months
- C. Tuberculin skin test (Mantoux test)
Keynote
These MCQs cover a range of topics on Mycobacterium tuberculosis including its microbiology, laboratory diagnosis, clinical presentation, treatment regimens, and preventive measures. They are useful for review and exam preparation in microbiology, infectious diseases, and related healthcare fields.