When cleansing the skin with alcohol and then iodine for the collection of a blood culture, the iodine (or iodophor) should remain intact on the skin for at least

What is the purpose of adding 0.025%–0.050% sodium polyanetholsulfonate (SPS) to nutrient broth media for the collection of blood cultures?

A flexible calcium alginate nasopharyngeal swab is the collection device of choice for recovery of which organism from the nasopharynx?

Semisolid transport media such as Amies, Stuart, or Cary–Blair are suitable for the transport of swabs for culture of most pathogens except

Select the method of choice for recovery of anaerobic bacteria from a deep abscess.

Select the primary and differential media of choice for recovery of most fecal pathogens.

Select the media of choice for recovery of Vibrio cholerae from a stool specimen.

Colistin–nalidixic acid agar (CNA) is used primarily for the recovery of:

In the United States, most blood agar plates are prepared with 5% or 10% red blood cells (RBCs) obtained from:

All of the following are appropriate when attempting to isolate N. gonorrhoeae from a genital specimen except:

Chocolate agar and modified Thayer–Martin agar are used for the recovery of:

Cycloserine–cefoxitin-fructose agar (CCFA) is used for the recovery of:

Deoxycholate agar (DCA) is useful for the isolation of:

Xylose lysine deoxycholate (XLD) agar is a highly selective medium used for the recovery of which bacteria?

A sheep blood agar plate is used as a primary isolation medium when all of the following organisms are to be recovered from a wound specimen except:

Prereduced and vitamin K1-supplemented blood agar plates are recommended isolation media for:

Which procedure is appropriate for culture of genital specimens in order to recover Chlamydia spp.?

Specimens for virus culture should be transported in media containing:

Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) should be cultured immediately, but if delayed the specimen should be:

The most sensitive method for the detection of β-lactamase in bacteria is by the use of:

The breakpoint of an antimicrobial drug refers to:

Which of the following variables may change the results of an MIC?

According to the Kirby–Bauer standard antimicrobial susceptibility testing method, what should be done when interpreting the zone size of a motile, swarming organism such as a Proteus species?

Which class of antibiotics is used for the treatment of serious gram-negative infections as well as infections with Mycobacterium tuberculosis

Select the medium best suited for the recovery of Yersinia enterocolitica from a patient with gastroenteritis.

A suspected case of plague requires which of the following procedures in order to confirm Yersinia pestis?

SITUATION: Abdominal pain, fever, vomiting, and nausea prompted an elderly male to seek medical attention. A watery stool specimen producing no fecal leukocytes or erythrocytes was cultured and grew a predominance of gram-negative fermentative bacilli. The colonies were beta-hemolytic on blood agar and cream colored on MacConkey agar. The colonies were both oxidase and catalase positive. What is the most likely identification?

SITUATION: Several attendees of a medical conference in the Gulf coast area became ill after frequenting a seafood restaurant. A presumptive identification of Vibrio cholera was made after stool specimens from several subjects grew clear colonies on MacConkey agar and yellow colonies on TCBS agar. Which key tests would help eliminate Aeromonas and Plesiomonas spp.?

SITUATION: A group of elementary students became ill after eating undercooked ground beef prepared in the school cafeteria. The suspected pathogen, E. coli serotype 0157:H7, is usually recovered using which of the following media?