An acid-fast bacillus isolate recovered from a respiratory specimen after 3 weeks of incubation on LöwensteinJensen medium is initially non-pigmented when grown in the dark. After exposure to light for several hours, the colonies develop a distinct yellow-orange pigment. This organism is classified as a:

During the investigation of a foodborne illness outbreak linked to raw sprouts, several bacterial isolates are obtained from patient stool samples and the implicated food source. Which of the following molecular methods would be MOST useful for establishing a definitive link between the clinical isolates and the food isolate?

A microbiology laboratory is processing a stool sample for ova and parasites. A large (approximately 100 µm), thick-shelled, oval egg with a flattened side is observed. This egg MOST likely belongs to:

During an investigation of a foodborne outbreak linked to a church supper, 80 people ate the suspected chicken dish, and 32 subsequently developed gastroenteritis. Among 50 people who did not eat the chicken dish, 5 developed similar symptoms. What is the attack rate among those who ate the chicken dish? 

A clinical laboratory manager is implementing a new automated blood culture system. Which aspect is LEAST likely to be part of the initial verification/validation process before clinical use?