Correct Answer: A

Rationale: The correct answer is A: Pertussis bacillus. The symptoms described - elevated temperature and typical cough - are indicative of whooping cough, caused by Bordetella pertussis. By inoculating mucus from the nasopharynx on agar, the doctor is trying to isolate the causative agent, which is likely to be Pertussis bacillus. Summary of other choices: B: Pfeiffer's bacillus (Haemophilus influenzae): Unlikely as symptoms do not match. C: Listeria: Unlikely as it typically causes foodborne illness, not respiratory infections. D: Klebsiella: Unlikely as it is more commonly associated with pneumonia in immunocompromised individuals.

Correct Answer: C

Rationale: Rationale: 1. Shigella invades and multiplies within the intestinal epithelial cells, causing inflammation and tissue damage locally. 2. It does not spread systemically, unlike Yersinia enterocolitica and Listeria monocytogenes. 3. Shigella's pathogenesis is focused on invasion and multiplication at the site of infection, leading to symptoms of dysentery. 4. Yersinia enterocolitica and Listeria monocytogenes can disseminate beyond the gastrointestinal tract, causing systemic infections. Summary: - A (Yersinia enterocolitica) and B (Listeria monocytogenes) are incorrect as they can generalize the infectious process. - C (Shigella) is correct as it mainly involves invasion and intraepithelial multiplication without spreading systemically.

Correct Answer: C

Rationale: The correct answer is C, Meat-peptone agar, as it provides a simple nutritive media for bacterial growth. This agar contains meat extract and peptone, which are good sources of nutrients for bacterial growth. Glucose broth (A) is a liquid medium with glucose but lacks other essential nutrients. Ascites (serum) agar (B) is a selective medium used for detecting pathogens in clinical samples. Blood agar (D) is a differential medium used to distinguish different types of bacteria based on hemolytic reactions. Meat-peptone agar is the simplest and most general-purpose medium among the options provided.

Correct Answer: A

Rationale: The correct answer is A: Neisseria meningitidis. This bacterium is a Gram-negative diplococcus, oxidase-positive, and fermentative. Neisseria meningitidis is known to cause respiratory infections and is commonly found in sputum cultures of patients with such infections. Neisseria gonorrhoeae (B) is also a Gram-negative diplococcus but is not fermentative. Moraxella catarrhalis (C) is oxidase-positive but not fermentative. Haemophilus influenzae (D) is not a diplococcus and is not fermentative. Therefore, Neisseria meningitidis is the most likely causative agent based on the given characteristics.

Correct Answer: A

Rationale: Step-by-step rationale for why Answer A (Sabouraud's) is correct: 1. Sabouraud's agar is a selective medium for fungi. 2. Candida is a type of fungus causing candidosis. 3. Sabouraud's agar promotes fungal growth. 4. Candida will grow on Sabouraud's agar, confirming the diagnosis. 5. Other choices are for bacterial culture, not suitable for fungal growth. Summary: - Endo, Jensen's, and Roux are not appropriate for fungal culture. - Sabouraud's agar specifically supports fungal growth, making it the correct choice for confirming candidosis.