Hospital infection control: spore-forming pathogen hygiene: practice question

A Microbiology question in the style of the NEET PG paper. Answer it first, then read why the right option is right and why each of the others is wrong.

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Microbiology · Hospital infection control: spore-forming pathogen hygiene

Sample item

A surgical ward is managing an outbreak of Clostridioides difficile infection. Which hand hygiene practice is recommended for staff after caring for affected patients?

Original practice item, not a recalled exam question. Nothing here is recorded.

The answer and the reasoning

A. Washing hands with soap and water

Alcohol-based rubs do not kill bacterial spores, and spores contaminate the patient environment and skin for long periods. Soap and water washing physically removes spores, and it is combined with contact precautions, a single room, gowns, gloves and sporicidal (chlorine-based) environmental cleaning, along with antibiotic stewardship.

Option by option

  • A. Washing hands with soap and water (correct)

    Correct. Mechanical washing with soap and water removes spores.

  • B. Alcohol-based hand rub alone

    Alcohol rub does not inactivate spores, so it can leave contamination on the hands.

  • C. Wiping hands with a dry tissue

    A dry tissue removes nothing meaningful and is not a hand hygiene method.

  • D. Wearing gloves and omitting hand hygiene afterwards

    Hands can be contaminated during glove removal, so hand hygiene is still required.

Source note: Original NextPrep sample item — pending expert review. This item is original practice material awaiting independent expert review, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.

More Microbiology questions

Questions about this Microbiology question

What is the answer to this Microbiology question?

The best answer is A, Washing hands with soap and water. Alcohol-based rubs do not kill bacterial spores, and spores contaminate the patient environment and skin for long periods.

Why is "Alcohol-based hand rub alone" not the answer?

Alcohol rub does not inactivate spores, so it can leave contamination on the hands.

Why is "Wiping hands with a dry tissue" not the answer?

A dry tissue removes nothing meaningful and is not a hand hygiene method.

Why is "Wearing gloves and omitting hand hygiene afterwards" not the answer?

Hands can be contaminated during glove removal, so hand hygiene is still required.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Hospital infection control: spore-forming pathogen hygiene in Microbiology. Soap and water washing physically removes spores, and it is combined with contact precautions, a single room, gowns, gloves and sporicidal (chlorine-based) environmental cleaning, along with antibiotic stewardship.

How hard is this question?

We tag it as an application question: it asks you to use a fact on a patient or a finding. The tag is our own editorial judgement, not an official difficulty rating, so read the reason for every option, not only the answer.

How should I study Hospital infection control: spore-forming pathogen hygiene?

Make a one-line identity card for each organism: shape and stain, defining test, toxin, disease and drug. Then use the flashcards and the other Microbiology questions on this site to test what stuck.

Is this a real NEET PG question?

No. It is an original practice item (editorial status: sample, version 1). NextPrep does not publish recalled or leaked questions, and independent faculty review of this item has not been completed yet, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.