A patient presents with a history of diarrhea of several weeks duration. Which of the following may be the cause?

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.

Correct Answer: A

Rationale: The correct answer is A: Logarithmic phase. During this phase, bacteria multiply exponentially due to abundant nutrients and favorable conditions. The growth is rapid and follows a geometric progression. In contrast, the Death phase (choice B) occurs when nutrients are depleted, leading to a decline in bacterial numbers. The Stationary phase (choice C) is when growth equals death rates, resulting in a stable population size. Choice D is incorrect because the Logarithmic phase accurately describes the exponential growth pattern of bacteria in artificial media.

Correct Answer: B

Rationale: Binary fission is a form of asexual reproduction where a single organism divides into two equal parts. Bacteria reproduce through binary fission, splitting into two identical daughter cells. Viruses are not considered living organisms and reproduce by infecting host cells. Fungi reproduce through spores or sexual reproduction. Helminths are parasitic worms that reproduce sexually. Therefore, the correct answer is B, bacteria, as they specifically utilize binary fission for reproduction.

Correct Answer: A

Rationale: The correct answer is A: HIV. HIV is an example of obligate parasitism because it requires a host cell to replicate and survive. It cannot live independently outside of a host organism. In contrast, choices B, C, and D are not obligate parasites. E. Coli and S. Epidermidis are examples of commensal bacteria that can live in the host without causing harm. Pseudomonas aeruginosa can be both an opportunistic pathogen and a free-living organism, not strictly dependent on a host for survival.

Correct Answer: B

Rationale: Rationale: 1. Enteropathogenic E.coli (EPEC) adheres to the intestinal wall using bundle-forming pili. 2. EPEC produces toxins that disrupt cell structure and function, leading to diarrhea. 3. Shigella spp. invade intestinal cells, Salmonella spp. invade and multiply within cells, and Vibrio cholerae produces cholera toxin causing profuse watery diarrhea. Summary: A, C, and D choices are incorrect because they do not specifically adhere to the intestine wall and produce toxins like EPEC does.

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: B

Rationale: Transduction is the transfer of genetic material between bacterial cells with the help of a phage (virus). This process involves a phage infecting a bacterial cell, replicating inside it, and then transferring bacterial DNA along with phage DNA to another bacterial cell. This is different from transformation (choice A) which involves the uptake of naked DNA by a bacterial cell and plasmid transfer (choice C) which involves the transfer of small, circular DNA molecules. Therefore, the correct answer is B because it specifically describes the process of transduction in bacteria, while choices A and C describe different mechanisms of genetic transfer.

Correct Answer: A

Rationale: The correct answer is A: Clostridium perfringens. This bacterium fits all the characteristics mentioned: Gram-positive rods with spore formation, motile, and gas production in nutrient broth. Clostridium perfringens is known to cause gas gangrene, which aligns with the gas production in nutrient broth. Bacillus anthracis (B) causes anthrax and does not typically produce gas. Clostridium tetani (C) causes tetanus and does not form spores that are motile. Bacillus cereus (D) is a common cause of food poisoning and does not cause gas gangrene.

Correct Answer: A

Rationale: The correct answer is A: Streptococcus pneumoniae. The presence of Gram-positive cocci in pairs with a capsule is characteristic of Streptococcus pneumoniae. This bacterium is a common cause of bacterial pharyngitis, leading to a severe sore throat. Staphylococcus aureus (B) does not typically present in pairs or have a capsule. Neisseria meningitidis (C) is a Gram-negative diplococcus, not a Gram-positive cocci. Klebsiella pneumoniae (D) is a Gram-negative bacillus, not a cocci. Thus, based on the characteristics described in the question, Streptococcus pneumoniae is the most likely causative agent.