What type of laboratory test(s) would NOT be conducted if you suspect a patient has contracted plague?

What type of laboratory test(s) would NOT be conducted if you suspect a patient has contracted plague?

• A. PCR for Yersinia pestis
• B. Serology for plague
• C. Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry
• D. Gram stain of bubo aspirate

Answer: (C)

Diagnosing plague relies on identifying the bacterium Yersinia pestis through microbiological and molecular tests, not through chemical analysis. Gas Chromatography–Mass Spectrometry is a chemical analysis method used to identify compounds, so it wouldn’t be used to confirm plague. In suspected plague, a Gram stain of a bubo aspirate can quickly show Gram-negative rods, cultures can grow the organism for confirmation, and PCR can detect Yersinia pestis DNA for a fast, specific diagnosis. Serology can support diagnosis by demonstrating an antibody response, though it may not be positive early in infection. Therefore, the test type that would not be conducted is Gas Chromatography–Mass Spectrometry.

Diagnosing plague relies on identifying the bacterium Yersinia pestis through microbiological and molecular tests, not through chemical analysis. Gas Chromatography–Mass Spectrometry is a chemical analysis method used to identify compounds, so it wouldn’t be used to confirm plague. In suspected plague, a Gram stain of a bubo aspirate can quickly show Gram-negative rods, cultures can grow the organism for confirmation, and PCR can detect Yersinia pestis DNA for a fast, specific diagnosis. Serology can support diagnosis by demonstrating an antibody response, though it may not be positive early in infection. Therefore, the test type that would not be conducted is Gas Chromatography–Mass Spectrometry.