Questions from past exams

Question 1

what is the B5 fixative?

Answer 1

mercuric chloride

Question 2

what is the gene mutation that causes myeloproliferative neoplasms?

Answer 2

JAK2 gene

Question 3

Is M. Tuberculosis a fast or slow grower?

Answer 3

Slow/nonchromagen

Question 4

Extra: photochromagen vs scotochromagen

Answer 4

Photochromogens produce pigment after light stimulation but not when grown continuously in the dark with no light exposure. Scotochromogens produce pigment when grown in the dark as well as after light exposure.

Question 5

what type of sputum specimen is preferred?

Answer 5

first morning sputum

Question 6

what could affect quenching in FPIA (?)

Answer 6

Extra fluorochrome particles present (might not have been the answer)

Question 7

is Nocardia partially acid fast or a spore former?

Answer 7

Partially acid fast

Question 8

Is the cytoplasm to nucleus ratio measured by electrical impedance or light scatter?

Question 9

What is the function of the Xylose lysine deoxycholate agar?

Answer 9

Isolation of Salmonella and Shigella (Enterobacteriaceae)

Question 10

Prioritizing specimens: blood culture or CSF first?

Question 11

Which protein migrates to the anode fastest/closest to the anode?

Question 12

What would not be used to differentiate a traumatic tap vs hemorrhage?

a. clot formation
b. xantochromia
c. blood content in each tube
d. supernatant post-centrifugation

Answer 12

Clot formation (this could be wrong)

Question 13

What measures the different cells as they pass through impedance?

a. fluorescence
b. light scatter
c.
d.

Question 14

what is the difference between hematein and hematin? Question was on the product of oxidation of Formaldehyde.

Question 15

What are the 3 elements found in WHMIS?

Answer 15

Training, SDS, labels

Question 16

What is the order that PPE is removed?

Answer 16

gloves, gown, face shield, mask

Question 17

How to differentiate between MPN and leukemia?

a. chemotherapy effectiveness
b. Types of cells present
c. gene mutations
d.

Answer 17

Types of cells present (this could be wrong)

MPN = overproduction of mature blood cells
Leukemia = overproduction of immature blood cells

Question 18

What does Gomori stain?

a. carbohydrates
b. glycoproteins
c. nuclei
d.

Answer 18

Glycoproteins

Question 19

Plates used to culture stool?
-the answer I put also had naladixic on it…

Answer 19

HEA, SMAC, MAC, SBA, CIN, Selenite broth

Question 20

What are the antibodies to complement?

a. IgM and IgG
b. IgG and anti-C3d
c. IgG and anti-C3b
d.

Answer 20

IgM and IgG (this could be wrong)

Question 21

What is the blood type of Coombs cells?

Answer 21

O negative (this could be wrong)

Question 22

What is the most susceptible bacteria?

a. mycobacteria (another word similar to this - look in safety manual)
b. gram-negative bacilli
c.
d.

Answer 22

gram-negative bacilli?

Question 23

If CSF cannot be tested immediately, how do you store it?

a. Room temperature
b. Fridge at 4 degrees Celsius
c. Freeze -70 degrees Celsius
d.

Answer 23

Room temperature

Question 24

Which sample has to be kept at room temperature?

a. genital swab
b. throat swab
c.
d.

Answer 24

genital swab

Question 25

When do we test for glucose in CSF sample? a. Within 15 minutes b. After 15 minutes c. d.

Answer 25

Within 15 minutes?

Question 26

Which sample does not need decontamination with the presence of acid fast bacilli? a. CSF b. sputum c. stool d.

Answer 26

Stool

Question 27

What does a blood gas analyzer measure? a. pCo2 b. pH c. neither d.

Answer 27

pCo2?

Question 28

If you receive a mysterious powder in the lab, what would you do? a. Send to local FDA site b. Send to FDA c. Test powder in lab d. Send to PHL

Answer 28

Send to local FDA site?

Question 29

Why are _____ meetings held? a. To talk negatively about coworkers b. To talk about what went well during the shift c. Plans for the upcoming month d.

Answer 29

Plans for the upcoming month?

Question 30

Why are there holes on a freshly stained slide? a. stain too acidic/basic b. heating was too high

Answer 30

heating was too high? I think it actually had to do with higher pH in ICH

Question 31

How to avoid humidity when a slide is drying? a. Remove alcohol portion of the stain b. Increase staining time c. Place slide in a humidity controlled environment

Answer 31

Humidity controlled environment?

Question 32

Difference between buffered formalin and neutral formalin?

Answer 32

Buffered = highly preserves tissue = pH 6.8-7.2 Neutral = poorly preserved tissue = pH 7.0

Question 33

What would be the most common cause of background staining in the colloidal iron stain?

Answer 33

Use of old solutions Less likely: not using acidified rinses/colloidal iron was not acidified

Question 34

How to ergonomically sit at a computer?

Answer 34

Feet flat on the ground, back of chair set so you are learning back slightly

Question 35

What is the best decal method for fragile tissue?

Answer 35

Chelation w/ EDTA -says it does not cause any tissue damage compared to the rest

Question 36

What is chloroquine diphosphate used for?

Answer 36

Dissociates warm reactive autoantibody IgG from the red cells (DAT+)

Question 37

What is a sledge microtome used for?

Answer 37

Large blocks, hard tissues, or whole mounts

Question 38

What is the most different analyte concentration between CSF and plasma?

Answer 38

Protein - in CSF if it 50-100 times lower compared to plasma

Question 39

What antibiotics are not recommended for salmonella or shigella?

Answer 39

Shigella - Sulfonamides, tetracyclines, ampicillin, TMP/SMX Salmonella - ciproflaxin

Question 40

What is the agar depth for susceptibility testing? -needed to know this to be able to troubleshoot the scenario

Answer 40

3-5mm

Question 41

What is the best biochemical test for the following organism; yellow colonies on TCBS agar and TSI result is A/A a. Growth in 6.5% NaCl b. O/129 susceptible c. String test negative

Answer 41

O/129 susceptible since organism is Vibrio. Also grows in 6.5% NaCl. String test is typically positive.

Question 42

Why can’t someone with pernicious anemia take in vitamin B12? a. Lack the intrinsic factor produced in the stomach b. Malabsorption

Answer 42

Lack of intrinsic factor

Question 43

The best way to handle a “difficult” patient is to:

Answer 43

Help the patient to feel in control of the situation

Question 44

How is AST affected by hemolysis?

Answer 44

Falsely increases it since the enzyme is found in the red blood cells.