A fecal smear from a patient with severe diarrhea revealed motile Gram-negative rods with a comma shape. What is the likely causative agent?

Correct Answer: A

Rationale: The correct answer is A: Vibrio cholerae. This bacterium is the likely causative agent because it is known to cause severe diarrhea, and it is characterized by its motile, comma-shaped Gram-negative rods. Vibrio cholerae produces cholera toxin, leading to profuse watery diarrhea. Shigella dysenteriae causes dysentery with bloody diarrhea, Salmonella typhi causes typhoid fever, and Escherichia coli can cause various types of diarrhea but typically does not have a comma shape.

Correct Answer: B

Rationale: The correct answer is B, Helicobacter pylori. This bacterium is the main cause of peptic ulcers by damaging the protective lining of the stomach and duodenum. It secretes enzymes that weaken the mucosal barrier, allowing stomach acid to cause damage. Salmonella typhi (A) causes typhoid fever, not peptic ulcers. Shigella boydii (C) causes dysentery, not peptic ulcers. Salmonella enterica (D) causes food poisoning, not peptic ulcers. Therefore, the correct answer is B based on its direct association with peptic ulcer formation.

Correct Answer: A

Rationale: The correct answer is A: Contaminated. The air is never completely free of microorganisms, so it is considered contaminated. Microorganisms are ubiquitous in the environment. Permissible limits (B) imply a specific standard, which is not relevant to the general microbiological characteristic of air. Almost pure (C) and pure (D) are not accurate as air always contains some level of microorganisms.

Correct Answer: A

Rationale: The correct answer is A: Β-lactamase. In ELISA, enzymes like alkaline phosphatase, horseradish peroxidase, and Β-galactosidase are commonly used as labels to detect the presence of specific molecules. Β-lactamase is not typically used in ELISA as it is an enzyme used to hydrolyze β-lactam antibiotics. Therefore, it does not serve the purpose of detecting specific molecules in ELISA. Alkaline phosphatase, horseradish peroxidase, and Β-galactosidase are preferred enzymes in ELISA due to their ability to produce a detectable signal when bound to specific molecules.

Correct Answer: C

Rationale: The correct answer is C: peroxisomes. Peroxisomes contain enzymes involved in breaking down fatty acids and detoxifying harmful substances. They do not contain digestive enzymes. Lysosomes contain digestive enzymes involved in breaking down waste materials. Chloroplasts are involved in photosynthesis and do not contain digestive enzymes. Mitochondria are involved in energy production and do not contain digestive enzymes. Therefore, the correct answer is peroxisomes.

Correct Answer: C

Rationale: Legionella pneumophila is a Gram-negative coccobacillus. It is not a coccus (round shape), spiral bacterium, or Gram-positive coccobacillus. The correct answer is C because Legionella pneumophila has a characteristic coccobacillary shape and stains Gram-negative due to its cell wall composition. The other choices are incorrect because they do not accurately describe the morphology or staining characteristics of Legionella pneumophila.

Correct Answer: D

Rationale: The correct answer is D: Moeller. Moeller staining method is specifically designed to detect spores due to its ability to differentiate between the spore and the vegetative cell. It involves applying multiple stains such as malachite green, safranin, and heat to visualize the endospore structure. This method is essential for proving the formation of spores as it highlights the resistant spore structures within the bacterial cell. A: Klett and Gins is not used for spore staining. B: Ziehl-Neelsen is used for acid-fast staining, not spore staining. C: Gram and Loeffler's are used for gram staining, not spore staining.

Correct Answer: A

Rationale: The correct answer is A: Staphylococcus aureus. This bacterium is characterized by Gram-positive cocci in clusters, catalase-positive, and coagulase-positive. Staphylococcus aureus is a common pathogen causing wound infections due to its ability to produce toxins and enzymes. Staphylococcus epidermidis (B) is catalase-positive but coagulase-negative, making it less likely to cause infections. Streptococcus pyogenes (C) is catalase-negative and typically causes streptococcal infections, not wound infections. Enterococcus faecalis (D) is catalase-negative and typically associated with urinary tract infections. Thus, Staphylococcus aureus is the most likely causative agent based on the given characteristics.

Correct Answer: A

Rationale: Rationale: - Yersinia enterocolitica is a common cause of diarrhea due to contaminated food or water. - It typically presents with symptoms such as abdominal pain, fever, and diarrhea. - The other choices are unlikely causes of prolonged diarrhea, as Bordetella pertussis causes whooping cough, Neisseria meningitidis causes meningitis, and Corynebacterium diphtheria causes diphtheria.