A pregnant woman complains of vaginal mucosa irritation, itching and genital tracts secretion. Bacterioscopy of vaginal smears revealed large gram-positive oval oblong cells that form pseudomicelium. What is the most probable channel of infection?

Correct Answer: B

Rationale: The correct answer is B: Sexual transmission. The symptoms described are indicative of a vaginal yeast infection caused by Candida albicans. The presence of large gram-positive oval oblong cells forming pseudomycelium is characteristic of Candida infection. Sexual transmission is the most probable channel of infection as Candida can be transmitted through sexual contact. Endogenous infection (A) refers to infections originating from the body's own flora, which is not the case here. Contact infection (C) typically involves direct physical contact or fomite transmission, which is less likely in this scenario. Vector-borne transmission (D) involves transmission through vectors like mosquitoes or ticks, which is not relevant in this case.

Correct Answer: B

Rationale: The correct answer is B: Sexual transmission. The symptoms described are indicative of a vaginal yeast infection caused by Candida albicans. The presence of large gram-positive oval oblong cells forming pseudomycelium is characteristic of Candida infection. Sexual transmission is the most probable channel of infection as Candida can be transmitted through sexual contact. Endogenous infection (A) refers to infections originating from the body's own flora, which is not the case here. Contact infection (C) typically involves direct physical contact or fomite transmission, which is less likely in this scenario. Vector-borne transmission (D) involves transmission through vectors like mosquitoes or ticks, which is not relevant in this case.

Correct Answer: B

Rationale: The correct answer is B: Treponema pallidum. 1. Treponema pallidum is a spirochete bacterium known to cause syphilis. 2. Borrelia burgdorferi causes Lyme disease, not syphilis. 3. Leptospira interrogans causes leptospirosis, not syphilis. 4. Rickettsia rickettsii causes Rocky Mountain spotted fever, not syphilis. Therefore, Treponema pallidum is the causative agent of syphilis, making it the correct answer.

Correct Answer: B

Rationale: The correct answer is B because the term "infectious process" refers to all biological processes that occur after the attachment and penetration of microbes into the host organism, regardless of whether there are clinical manifestations. This includes the colonization, multiplication, and spread of the microorganisms within the host. Explanation: A: Incorrect because it only mentions the attachment and penetration of microbes into the microorganism, missing the subsequent processes. C: Incorrect because it is too specific, stating that the penetration of microbes always manifests clinically, which is not always the case. D: Incorrect because there is a correct answer, which is B, as explained above.

Correct Answer: D

Rationale: The correct answer is D: protozoan. Babesiosis is caused by a protozoan parasite called Babesia. Protozoans are single-celled organisms that can cause various diseases in humans. Babesiosis is transmitted to humans through the bite of infected ticks. Bacteria (choice A), viruses (choice B), and helminths (choice C) are not responsible for causing babesiosis. Bacteria are typically responsible for diseases like Lyme disease, viruses for illnesses like Zika, and helminths for infections such as parasitic worms. Thus, the correct choice for the causative agent of babesiosis is a protozoan.

Correct Answer: A

Rationale: The correct answer is A: Yersinia pestis. Y. pestis is responsible for causing the plague, a severe infectious disease. This bacterium is transmitted via fleas from rodents to humans. It causes bubonic, septicemic, and pneumonic plague. Clostridium difficile causes gastrointestinal infections, Neisseria gonorrhoeae causes gonorrhea, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa can cause various infections but not the plague.

Correct Answer: B

Rationale: The correct answer is B: protomeres. Viral capsomeres are the building blocks of viral capsids, which are protein coats that enclose and protect the viral genetic material. These capsomeres are made up of smaller subunits called protomeres. Envelopes (A) refer to a lipid membrane surrounding some viruses, not the subunits of capsomeres. Capsids (C) are the protein coats that capsomeres make up, not the subunits themselves. Nucleoids (D) are found in bacterial cells and refer to the region where the genetic material is located, not the subunits of viral capsomeres.

Correct Answer: A

Rationale: The correct answer is A: Volutin granules. Volutin granules are metachromatic granules that stain dark blue with methylene blue or Leishman stain. In diphtheria-causing bacteria, Corynebacterium diphtheriae, these granules are typically seen as yellow rods with dark blue thickenings on their ends when stained. Volutin granules are storage inclusions composed of polymetaphosphate that serve as an energy reserve for the bacteria. The presence of these granules in the detected microorganisms indicates the characteristic feature of Corynebacterium diphtheriae. Summary of other choices: B: Plasmids are extrachromosomal DNA molecules that are not typically visible on stained smears. C: Capsules are outer protective layers that are not visible on stained smears. D: Spores are reproductive structures formed by certain bacteria, not typically seen in Corynebacterium diphtheriae.

Correct Answer: B

Rationale: The correct answer is B: Carrying antibiotic resistance genes. Bacterial plasmids are small, circular DNA molecules that can carry genes, including those for antibiotic resistance. This allows bacteria to survive exposure to antibiotics. Plasmids do not directly regulate bacterial growth (A), produce toxins (C), or facilitate endospore formation (D). Plasmids play a crucial role in the spread of antibiotic resistance among bacteria.