Chapter 01: Introduction to Pathology and Infection Control
Salvo: Mosby’s Pathology for Massage Therapists, 4th Edition

MULTIPLE CHOICE

	1.	Which term means the study of disease?
a.	Physiology	
b.	Pathology	
c.	Pharmacology	
d.	Psychology	

ANS:	B
“Patho” stems from Greek meaning disease; “-ology” implies “study of”.

REF:	p. 2	TOP:	MTBOK: section 210.4 (Pathology)		
MSC:	ELAP: section 13.0 (Using Anatomic and Health Care Terminology)

	2.	Which term means any illness that is characterized by certain signs and symptoms?
a.	Disease	
b.	Handicap	
c.	Liability	
d.	Disorder	

ANS:	A
A disease features signs and symptoms in relation to abnormal function.

REF:	p. 4	TOP:	MTBOK: section 210.4 (Pathology)		
MSC:	ELAP: section 13.0 (Using Anatomic and Health Care Terminology)

	3.	Which term means a prediction of how a disease will progress and the chances of recovery?
a.	Prognosis	
b.	Diagnosis	
c.	Palpation	
d.	Determination	

ANS:	A
A prognosis is a prediction on the course of a disease.

REF:	p. 4	TOP:	MTBOK: section 210.4 (Pathology)		
MSC:	ELAP: section 13.0 (Using Anatomic and Health Care Terminology)

	4.	Which term means objective indicators of disease such as swelling, skin rashes, and fever?
a.	Signs	
b.	Complications	
c.	Symptoms	
d.	Diagnosis	

ANS:	A
Signs are objective evidence related to a disease.

REF:	p. 5	TOP:	MTBOK: section 210.4 (Pathology)		
MSC:	ELAP: section 13.0 (Using Anatomic and Health Care Terminology)

	5.	Which term means subjective feelings such as headaches, nausea, pain, and anxiety?
a.	Situation	
b.	Syndrome	
c.	Signs	
d.	Symptoms	

ANS:	D
Symptoms are subjective evidence related to a disease.

REF:	p. 5	TOP:	MTBOK: section 210.4 (Pathology)		
MSC:	ELAP: section 13.0 (Using Anatomic and Health Care Terminology)

	6.	A group of signs and symptoms occurring together to present a particular disease or abnormality is called a
a.	prognosis.	
b.	complication.	
c.	syndrome.	
d.	risk factor.	

ANS:	C
A syndrome presents with a predicted set of signs and symptoms.

REF:	p. 4	TOP:	MTBOK: section 210.4 (Pathology)		
MSC:	ELAP: section 13.0 (Using Anatomic and Health Care Terminology)

	7.	Disease that is distributed throughout the body is called
a.	chronic.	
b.	systemic.	
c.	acute.	
d.	contagious.	

ANS:	B
Systemic diseases affect multiple systems throughout the entire body.

REF:	p. 12	TOP:	MTBOK: section 210.4 (Pathology)		
MSC:	ELAP: section 13.0 (Using Anatomic and Health Care Terminology)

	8.	Which type of disease has an abrupt onset of severe signs and symptoms then runs a brief course?
a.	Acute	
b.	Local	
c.	Chronic	
d.	Delayed	

ANS:	A
Acute diseases present for brief courses of time.

REF:	p. 5	TOP:	MTBOK: section 210.4 (Pathology)		
MSC:	ELAP: section 13.0 (Using Anatomic and Health Care Terminology)

	9.	Which type of disease develops gradually and lasts longer than 6 months?
a.	Acute	
b.	Local	
c.	Chronic	
d.	Delayed	

ANS:	C
Chronic diseases present for longer time periods, 6 months up to entire lifespan.

REF:	p. 5	TOP:	MTBOK: section 210.4 (Pathology)		
MSC:	ELAP: section 13.0 (Using Anatomic and Health Care Terminology)

	10.	A period of partial or complete disappearance of the signs and symptoms of chronic disease is called a
a.	flare-up.	
b.	complication.	
c.	remission.	
d.	syndrome.	

ANS:	C
Remission is a period of partial or complete disappearance of signs and symptoms of a disease.

REF:	p. 8	TOP:	MTBOK: section 210.4 (Pathology)		
MSC:	ELAP: section 13.0 (Using Anatomic and Health Care Terminology)

	11.	Which term means a period of increased signs and symptoms?
a.	Remission	
b.	Chronic	
c.	Syndrome	
d.	Exacerbation	

ANS:	D
Exacerbation is a period of increases signs and symptoms of a disease.

REF:	p. 8	TOP:	MTBOK: section 210.4 (Pathology)		
MSC:	ELAP: section 13.0 (Using Anatomic and Health Care Terminology)

	12.	Which process occurs when the body mistakes its own tissues for something foreign?
a.	The tissues are attacked, and the immune system is depleted.	
b.	The immune system soon recognizes the tissues as normal and never attacks them again.	
c.	The tissues attack the immune system, shutting it down.	
d.	The tissues stimulate the immune system to prevent infection by pathogens.	

ANS:	A
An autoimmune disease features the body mistaking its own tissues as foreign.

REF:	p. 8	TOP:	MTBOK: section 210.4 (Pathology)		
MSC:	ELAP: section 13.0 (Using Anatomic and Health Care Terminology)

	13.	A description that belongs to communicable diseases is that they are
a.	the result of exposure to cancer-causing agents.	
b.	caused by disruption in the body’s metabolism.	
c.	inherited.	
d.	infectious.	

ANS:	D
An infectious disease is considered communicable since it can be transmitted from one person to another.

REF:	p. 11	TOP:	MTBOK: section 210.4 (Pathology)		
MSC:	ELAP: section 13.0 (Using Anatomic and Health Care Terminology)

	14.	Infectious agents can be spread through:
a.	contact with contaminated linens.	
b.	contact with contaminated massage tools.	
c.	contact with open containers of lubricant.	
d.	All of the above	

ANS:	D
Massage equipment can carry infectious agents and must be cleaned to avoid spread.

REF:	p. 15	TOP:	MTBOK: section 210.4 (Pathology)		
MSC:	ELAP: section 13.0 (Using Anatomic and Health Care Terminology)

	15.	Which term means an organism in which pathogens reside?
a.	Reservoir	
b.	Cistern	
c.	Host	
d.	Hiatus	

ANS:	C
A host is a residency in which pathogens can harbor.

REF:	p. 15	TOP:	MTBOK: section 210.4 (Pathology)		
MSC:	ELAP: section 13.0 (Using Anatomic and Health Care Terminology)

	16.	Which terms means the source of infection, living or inanimate?
a.	Cistern	
b.	Hiatus	
c.	Host	
d.	Reservoir	

ANS:	D
A reservoir is a source that may be living or inanimate of infection transmission.

REF:	p. 15	TOP:	MTBOK: section 210.4 (Pathology)		
MSC:	ELAP: section 13.0 (Using Anatomic and Health Care Terminology)

	17.	Which terms means a biologic agent capable of causing disease?
a.	Aseptic agent	
b.	Contamination	
c.	Pathogen	
d.	Fomite	

ANS:	C
A pathogen is biologic meaning it may multiply actively within a host.

REF:	p. 13	TOP:	MTBOK: section 210.4 (Pathology)		
MSC:	ELAP: section 13.0 (Using Anatomic and Health Care Terminology)

	18.	Effective exposure and successful transfer of pathogens results in
a.	microbial migration.	
b.	contamination.	
c.	exacerbation.	
d.	disease remission.	

ANS:	B
Contamination occurs with effective exposure and successful transfer of pathogens.

REF:	p. 15	TOP:	MTBOK: section 210.4 (Pathology)		
MSC:	ELAP: section 13.0 (Using Anatomic and Health Care Terminology)

	19.	Which type of infection describes vehicle transmission of organisms?
a.	Sexual contact	
b.	Bite from an animal	
c.	Pathogens in a water source	
d.	Pathogens crossing the placenta	

ANS:	C
Means of vehicle contamination include food, water and air.

REF:	p. 16	TOP:	MTBOK: section 210.4 (Pathology)		
MSC:	ELAP: section 13.0 (Using Anatomic and Health Care Terminology)

	20.	Which choice is NOT one of the body’s natural defense mechanisms against exposure to pathogens?
a.	Inflammation	
b.	Zinc supplements	
c.	Immune response	
d.	Physical and chemical barriers	

ANS:	B
Zinc supplementation is an artificial means to aid the body’s defenses, not a natural means.

REF:	pp. 17-19	TOP:	MTBOK: section 210.4 (Pathology)		
MSC:	ELAP: section 13.0 (Using Anatomic and Health Care Terminology)

	21.	Which term means a set of infection control measures developed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)?
a.	Hygiene	
b.	Disinfection	
c.	Standard precautions	
d.	Risk factors	

ANS:	C
Standard precautions were defined by the CDC in 1996.

REF:	p. 22	TOP:	MTBOK: section 210.4 (Pathology)		
MSC:	ELAP: section 13.0 (Using Anatomic and Health Care Terminology)

	22.	When a therapist feels symptoms of a cold or contagious illness, he or she should
a.	wear a mask or bandana over his or her nose and mouth to reduce the spread of airborne particles.	
b.	wear gloves to reduce the spread of infection.	
c.	cancel appointments and offer to reschedule, or refer the client to an associate.	
d.	be sure to have an antimicrobial agent available in the treatment room.	

ANS:	C
Cancelling appointments by an ill practitioner will avoid transmitting contagious illness to a client.

REF:	p. 27	TOP:	MTBOK: section 210.4 (Pathology)		
MSC:	ELAP: section 13.0 (Using Anatomic and Health Care Terminology)

	23.	Causative factors or origins of disease are its
a.	radiology.	
b.	entomology.	
c.	ideology.	
d.	etiology.	

ANS:	D
The etiology of disease describes the causative factors or origins of disease.

REF:	p. 5	TOP:	MTBOK: section 210.4 (Pathology)		
MSC:	ELAP: section 13.0 (Using Anatomic and Health Care Terminology)

	24.	If a disease has an unknown cause, it is called
a.	acute.	
b.	idiopathic.	
c.	systemic.	
d.	chronic.	

ANS:	B
An idiopathic disease has no known cause.

REF:	p. 5	TOP:	MTBOK: section 210.4 (Pathology)		
MSC:	ELAP: section 13.0 (Using Anatomic and Health Care Terminology)

	25.	What is the minimum number of seconds the hands should be washed?
a.	5	
b.	10	
c.	15	
d.	20	

ANS:	D
Washing hands for at least 20 seconds will ensure proper sanitation.

REF:	p. 29	TOP:	MTBOK: section 210.4 (Pathology)		
MSC:	ELAP: section 13.0 (Using Anatomic and Health Care Terminology)

	26.	Which condition is a local contraindication for massage?
a.	Inflamed lymph node	
b.	Fever	
c.	Exacerbation stage of lupus	
d.	Stroke	

ANS:	A
An inflamed lymph node is a local contraindication since only one node within one body region is referenced.

REF:	p. 21	TOP:	MTBOK: section 210.4 (Pathology)		
MSC:	ELAP: section 13.0 (Using Anatomic and Health Care Terminology)

	27.	Which example is a positional modification of treatment for a client?
a.	Avoiding the use of percussion	
b.	Placing a supportive cushion under the abdomen	
c.	Using lighter-than-normal pressure	
d.	Wearing gloves when having a cut on the hand	

ANS:	B
Placing a supportive cushion under the abdomen is one example of a positional modification.

REF:	p. 21	TOP:	MTBOK: section 210.4 (Pathology)		
MSC:	ELAP: section 13.0 (Using Anatomic and Health Care Terminology)

	28.	A client reporting a contagious disease is presenting with an
a.	chronic inflammation.	
b.	local contraindication.	
c.	absolute contraindication.	
d.	chemical mediator.	

ANS:	C
An absolute contraindication is a “red light” to receiving massage. A contagious disease is an absolute contraindication for massage.

REF:	p. 20	TOP:	MTBOK: section 210.4 (Pathology)		
MSC:	ELAP: section 13.0 (Using Anatomic and Health Care Terminology)