Q17. A patient with liver cancer, who had previously been infected with the novel virus, presented to the emergency department with fever, cough, and shortness of breath. A chest X-ray revealed a large region of opacity in the left lung (A). A sputum sample was collected, which revealed multicellular hyphae (B). The results are shown below in images A and B.

Which of the following is the most likely diagnosis for this patient?

Q9. The clinical microbiologist uses a pure culture of GPEC to prepare a heat-fixed smear and performs a Gram stain. The microbiologist accidentally omitted the carbol fuchsin step when performing the Gram stain. What will the microbiologist observe when the Gram-stained GPEC cells are viewed with a light microscope? Select one option (A-F) and briefly justify your response. (1-2 sentences) (2 marks)

Q20. The patient is particularly susceptible to microbial infection because they carry a mutation that dysregulates the function of the complement protein, C5. Laboratory tests determine that while C5b can be generated normally, C5a is non-functional. Which of the following components of the complement response will be deficient in the patient: inflammation, phagocytosis and/or cell lysis? Briefly justify your response. (2-3 sentences) (2 marks)

Q19. The treating physician decides to change the patients prescription from a broad-spectrum antibiotic to a narrow-narrow spectrum antibiotic that specifically targets gram-negative bacteria. Which of the following antibiotics should the physician prescribe?

Q18. Microbial testing results identified Klebsiella pneumoniae as the causative bacterium. K. pneumoniae is a gram negative extracellular pathogen that can modulate its production of outer membrane porins. A reduction in outer membrane porins can result in:

Q17.

Do you expect ceftazidime to have a bacteriostatic

or bactericidal effect on the causative bacterium? Justify your answer. (1-2

sentences) (2 marks)

Q15. Following administration of the KVD mRNA vaccine, Jonathon experienced redness and swelling at the injection site and a mild fever lasting approximately one day. He documented these side effects and reported them to the clinical trial coordinators. The side effects were most likely caused by: 

Q16. Fourteen days after the first dose of the KVD mRNA vaccine was administered, a sample of Jonathon’s blood was collected and an assay was performed to detect kipu-specific IgG and IgM antibodies. If the mRNA vaccine is effective, which of the following assay results would you expect?

Q13. Would you recommend including an adjuvant in the KVD mRNA vaccine? Briefly justify your response. (1-2 sentences) (2 marks)

Q12. The research team ultimately decides to develop a mRNA vaccine for protection against KVD. Which of the following statements is correct?