A patient with fever and diarrhea had a stool sample that revealed Gram-negative rods that fermented lactose. What is the most likely causative agent?
- A. Escherichia coli
- B. Salmonella typhi
- C. Shigella dysenteriae
- D. Proteus vulgaris
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: The correct answer is A: Escherichia coli. E. coli is a Gram-negative rod that ferments lactose. It is a common cause of gastroenteritis presenting with fever and diarrhea. Salmonella typhi does not ferment lactose and causes typhoid fever. Shigella dysenteriae causes dysentery and does not ferment lactose. Proteus vulgaris does not typically cause gastroenteritis and is not known for lactose fermentation.
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Which bacteria are known for their ability to fix nitrogen?
- A. Bacillus cereus
- B. Azotobacter species
- C. Clostridium botulinum
- D. Escherichia coli
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The correct answer is B: Azotobacter species. Azotobacter are known for their ability to fix nitrogen through the process of nitrogen fixation, converting atmospheric nitrogen into a form that plants can use. Bacillus cereus is not known for nitrogen fixation. Clostridium botulinum is a bacterium that causes botulism and does not fix nitrogen. Escherichia coli is a common gut bacterium but does not have the ability to fix nitrogen. Thus, Azotobacter species is the correct choice based on its unique ability to fix nitrogen.
A man died from an acute infectious disease accompanied by fever, jaundice, haemorrhagic rash on the skin and mucous membranes as well as by acute renal insufficiency. Histological examination of renal tissue (stained by Romanovsky-Giemsa method) revealed some convoluted bacteria looking like C and S letters. What bacteria were revealed?
- A. Leptospira
- B. Treponema
- C. Spirilla
- D. Borrelia
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: The correct answer is A: Leptospira. The key features pointing to Leptospira are the presence of convoluted bacteria resembling C and S letters, which is characteristic of Leptospira species. Leptospirosis presents with fever, jaundice, haemorrhagic rash, and acute renal insufficiency. The other choices (B: Treponema, C: Spirilla, D: Borrelia) do not match the histological description or the clinical presentation of the case. Treponema is associated with syphilis, Spirilla with genus Spirochaeta, and Borrelia with Lyme disease, none of which match the given scenario.
What is the role of bacterial ribosomes?
- A. Protein synthesis
- B. DNA replication
- C. Flagella formation
- D. Toxin production
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: The correct answer is A: Protein synthesis. Bacterial ribosomes are responsible for translating mRNA into proteins through a process called translation. This is a crucial step in gene expression, where amino acids are assembled into polypeptide chains. Choice B (DNA replication) is incorrect because ribosomes are not involved in DNA replication. Choice C (Flagella formation) is incorrect as ribosomes do not play a direct role in flagella formation. Choice D (Toxin production) is incorrect as ribosomes are not directly involved in producing toxins.
Agents associated with human disease but generally not a serious health risk are classified in which of the following risk groups?
- A. RG1
- B. RG2
- C. RG3
- D. RG4
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The correct answer is B: RG2. RG2 is appropriate for agents associated with human disease that pose a moderate health risk. These agents may cause disease of varying severity, but generally do not result in serious health consequences. Other choices are incorrect because: A: RG1 is for agents not associated with disease in healthy adults, C: RG3 is for agents associated with serious or lethal human disease, and D: RG4 is for agents that pose a high risk of life-threatening disease and for which there are no treatments.
Which scientist is most responsible for ending the controversy about spontaneous generation?
- A. John Needham
- B. Joseph Lister
- C. Louis Pasteur
- D. Robert Koch
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: The correct answer is C: Louis Pasteur. He conducted experiments that definitively disproved the theory of spontaneous generation through his famous swan-neck flask experiment. By showing that microorganisms only appeared in the broth when exposed to air, Pasteur demonstrated that they did not arise spontaneously. John Needham's experiments were inconclusive, Joseph Lister is known for his contributions to antiseptic surgery, and Robert Koch is credited with developing Koch's postulates for identifying the causative agents of diseases, but neither of them directly contributed to ending the controversy about spontaneous generation.