Which of the following bacteria is responsible for causing the disease known as syphilis?
- A. Treponema pallidum
- B. Neisseria gonorrhoeae
- C. Chlamydia trachomatis
- D. Escherichia coli
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: The correct answer is A: Treponema pallidum. This bacterium is responsible for causing syphilis due to its unique spiral shape and ability to penetrate mucous membranes. It is transmitted through sexual contact or from mother to child during childbirth. Neisseria gonorrhoeae causes gonorrhea, Chlamydia trachomatis causes chlamydia, and Escherichia coli is a common bacterium found in the gut. Therefore, they are not responsible for syphilis.
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A smear prepared from material obtained from patient with suspected diphtheria contains yellow bacilli with blue grains at their ends. What staining was used in this case?
- A. Ziehl-Nielsen
- B. Kozlovsky
- C. Romanovsky
- D. Loefler
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: The correct answer is D: Loefler. This staining method is used for identifying Corynebacterium diphtheriae, the causative agent of diphtheria. It involves using methylene blue and basic fuchsin to stain the bacteria. The yellow bacilli with blue grains at their ends indicate the characteristic appearance of C. diphtheriae when stained using the Loefler method.
Choice A: Ziehl-Nielsen is used for acid-fast bacteria like Mycobacterium tuberculosis.
Choice B: Kozlovsky is not a standard staining method in microbiology.
Choice C: Romanovsky is used for blood smears to identify malaria parasites.
Which of the following bacteria is capable of surviving in extreme heat?
- A. Escherichia coli
- B. Bacillus subtilis
- C. Staphylococcus aureus
- D. Clostridium botulinum
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The correct answer is B: Bacillus subtilis. Bacillus subtilis is a thermophilic bacterium capable of surviving in extreme heat due to its heat-resistant spores. It forms spores when exposed to unfavorable conditions, allowing it to withstand high temperatures. Escherichia coli (A), Staphylococcus aureus (C), and Clostridium botulinum (D) are mesophilic bacteria that do not have the same heat resistance mechanisms as Bacillus subtilis, making them unable to survive in extreme heat conditions.
Which of the following is the causative agent of tetanus?
- A. Clostridium botulinum
- B. Clostridium tetani
- C. Bacillus anthracis
- D. Staphylococcus aureus
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The correct answer is B: Clostridium tetani. This bacterium produces tetanospasmin toxin, causing tetanus. Clostridium botulinum (choice A) produces botulinum toxin, leading to botulism. Bacillus anthracis (choice C) causes anthrax, not tetanus. Staphylococcus aureus (choice D) can cause various infections, but not tetanus. Therefore, only Clostridium tetani is the causative agent of tetanus.
Conidiospores that bud off from a vase-shaped spore-bearing cell are referred to as:
- A. arthrospores
- B. porospores
- C. phialospores
- D. blastospores
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: The correct answer is C: phialospores. Phialospores are conidiospores that bud off from a vase-shaped spore-bearing cell called a phialide. This structure is characteristic of fungi in the genus Penicillium. Arthrospores (A) are formed by the fragmentation of hyphae, porospores (B) are not a recognized term in mycology, and blastospores (D) are produced by budding from yeast cells. Therefore, C is the correct choice based on the specific description provided in the question.
A sample stained using Romanovsky-Giemsa method revealed crescent-shaped protozoa with pointed ends and blue cytoplasm. What is the causative agent?
- A. Toxoplasma
- B. Plasmodium
- C. Leishmania
- D. Trypanosoma
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: The correct answer is A: Toxoplasma. The crescent-shaped protozoa with pointed ends and blue cytoplasm described in the question are characteristic of Toxoplasma gondii, the causative agent of toxoplasmosis. Toxoplasma staining with Romanovsky-Giemsa method typically shows these specific morphological features. Plasmodium causes malaria and does not exhibit the described morphology. Leishmania and Trypanosoma are both kinetoplastid parasites, but they do not typically present as crescent-shaped protozoa with blue cytoplasm. Therefore, based on the specific characteristics described in the question, the correct answer is Toxoplasma.