Study for the Cengage Microbiology Test with helpful multiple choice questions and detailed explanations. Ace your exam with confidence!

Multiple Choice

Which of the following is an example of an acute infection?

An acute infection comes on quickly and runs a short course, with symptoms appearing abruptly and then resolving in a brief period. Influenza fits this pattern well: it often begins with a sudden fever, body aches, fatigue, and respiratory symptoms that develop rapidly, and most people recover within about a week. In contrast, hepatitis B can present as an acute illness but many infections become chronic, and HIV infection is typically a lifelong chronic infection. Rotavirus gastroenteritis is also an acute illness with rapid onset of vomiting and diarrhea, but influenza is the classic example used to illustrate an abrupt, short-lived infectious illness.

An acute infection comes on quickly and runs a short course, with symptoms appearing abruptly and then resolving in a brief period. Influenza fits this pattern well: it often begins with a sudden fever, body aches, fatigue, and respiratory symptoms that develop rapidly, and most people recover within about a week. In contrast, hepatitis B can present as an acute illness but many infections become chronic, and HIV infection is typically a lifelong chronic infection. Rotavirus gastroenteritis is also an acute illness with rapid onset of vomiting and diarrhea, but influenza is the classic example used to illustrate an abrupt, short-lived infectious illness.