Microbiology

26 written of 26 topics · 6 entries (derived from exam corpus)

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Concepts

Tier 1frequently tested
Bacteriology
Clostridioides difficile - toxin mechanism and management principlesFoodborne bacterial gastroenteritis - organism identification by exposure pattern1Gram stain classification of common pathogens1Haemolytic uraemic syndrome - Shiga toxin mechanism (typical HUS)4🔒 Mechanisms of infectious diarrhoea (secretory vs osmotic vs inflammatory)🔒 Neisseria meningitidis - clinical presentation and mortality1🔒 Syphilis serology interpretation (RPR/TPHA titres, treatment response)1🔒 Urease-producing organisms and struvite renal stones1
Clinical microbiology and organism identification
🔒 Organism prediction from clinical vignette (endocarditis, line infection)🔒 Peritoneal dialysis peritonitis - causative organisms2🔒 Urinary tract pathogens - nitrite reduction and biochemical identification1
Antimicrobial resistance
🔒 Antibiotic resistance mechanisms (beta-lactamase hydrolysis, efflux, porin loss, target modification)7🔒 Interferon-gamma release assays for TB - mechanism and interpretation🔒 Multidrug-resistant tuberculosis - definition and treatment implications1
Infection-associated disease
🔒 Infection-associated diseases and malignancies (viral and bacterial associations)🔒 Post-transplant infection timeline (bacterial <1mo, viral/opportunistic 1-6mo, community-acquired >6mo)
Tier 2tested occasionally
Virology
🔒 Bloodborne virus transmission risk after needlestick injury (HBV, HCV, HIV)1🔒 Hepatitis B serology interpretation (HBsAg, anti-HBc IgM/IgG, HBeAg)🔒 Herpesvirus latency (EBV in B cells, HSV in neurons, CMV in monocytes)1🔒 HIV cell entry mechanism (gp120, CD4, CCR5/CXCR4 coreceptors)1🔒 Influenza antigenic drift vs shift - mechanism and epidemiological consequence1🔒 Retrovirus replication - reverse transcriptase function1🔒 Viral hepatitis - transmission routes by type🔒 Viral taxonomy - arbovirus classification (flavivirus vs alphavirus)🔒 Zika virus - transmission and prevention2
Infection control and antisepsis
🔒 Alcohol-based hand hygiene efficacy by organism (spore-forming vs non-spore-forming)