An infectious diseases hospital admitted a veterinarian with assumed brucellosis. What serologic test can confirm this diagnosis?

Correct Answer: A

Rationale: The correct answer is A: Wright's agglutination reaction. For brucellosis diagnosis, this test detects antibodies against Brucella species. Wright's test specifically targets agglutinins, which are produced in response to Brucella infection. The other choices are incorrect because: B: Widal's test is used for typhoid fever caused by Salmonella typhi. C: Ascoli's test is for pneumococcal infections. D: Weigl's test is used for typhus fever caused by Rickettsia prowazekii.

Correct Answer: B

Rationale: The correct answer is B: serratia spp. This is because serratia spp. are not typically found in the normal skin microflora. Normal skin microflora primarily consist of bacteria such as diphtheroids, alpha-hemolytic streptococci, and epidermidis. Serratia spp. are more commonly associated with healthcare-associated infections rather than being a part of the skin's natural bacterial flora. Therefore, choice B is the correct answer. Choices A, C, and D are incorrect as they are commonly found in the normal skin microflora.

Correct Answer: A

Rationale: The correct answer is A: Leptospira interrogans. Darkfield microscopy is used to visualize spirochetes, which are spiral-shaped bacteria. Leptospira is a spirochete bacterium that causes leptospirosis, which presents with jaundice, muscle aching, chill, and nosebleeds. Leptospira is commonly transmitted through contact with contaminated water or soil. B: Borrelia dutlonii causes Lyme disease, which is transmitted by ticks and does not typically present with jaundice or nosebleeds. C: Calymmatobacterium granulomatis causes granuloma inguinale, a sexually transmitted infection that does not present with the symptoms described. D: Bartonella bacilloformis causes Carrion's disease, which presents with fever, anemia, and skin lesions but not jaundice or nosebleeds.

Correct Answer: B

Rationale: Memory cells are not part of the non-specific immune response because they are a component of the specific immune response. Non-specific immune responses are immediate and target a broad range of pathogens, whereas memory cells are formed after exposure to a specific pathogen to provide a quicker and stronger response upon subsequent exposure. Lysozyme (A), Interferon (C), and Phagocytosis (D) are all part of the non-specific immune response. Lysozyme is an enzyme that destroys bacterial cell walls, interferon helps to inhibit viral replication, and phagocytosis involves the engulfing and destruction of pathogens by phagocytes. These responses are not specific to particular pathogens and are the body's first line of defense.

Correct Answer: C

Rationale: The correct answer is C because Gram staining after culture on Loeffler's medium or tellurite-containing medium will show the characteristic Chinese letter arrangement of Corynebacterium diphtheriae. This arrangement consists of metachromatic granules that stain more deeply than the rest of the cell. This specific staining pattern is a key diagnostic feature of C. diphtheriae in microbiological diagnosis of diphtheria. Choice A is incorrect because simply identifying the isolate as C. diphtheriae is not sufficient for diagnosis. Choice B is incorrect as C. diphtheriae can be stained via Gram staining despite its small cell size. Choice D is incorrect as option C is indeed correct for microbiological diagnosis of diphtheria.

Correct Answer: B

Rationale: The correct answer is B: Protozoans. Protozoans lack a cyst stage, which is a protective, dormant stage that allows them to survive in harsh conditions outside the host. Without a cyst stage, protozoans must be transferred quickly between hosts to avoid exposure to unfavorable environments. Molds (A) are fungi that reproduce through spores and do not have a cyst stage like protozoans. Helminths (C) are parasitic worms that have complex life cycles involving different hosts but do not rely on a cyst stage for survival. Viruses (D) are not considered protozoans and do not have a cyst stage, but they are not classified as protozoans.

Correct Answer: A

Rationale: The correct answer is A: Candida. The whitish spots resembling coagulated milk on the mucous membranes are characteristic of oral thrush, a condition caused by Candida species. Candida is a gram-positive oval yeast-like fungus commonly found in the oral cavity. Staphylococci (B) are gram-positive cocci, not yeast-like cells. Diphtheria bacillus (C) causes diphtheria, not oral thrush. Actinomycetes (D) are filamentous bacteria, not yeast-like cells typically seen in oral thrush. Therefore, A is the correct answer based on the clinical presentation and microscopic findings.

Correct Answer: B

Rationale: The correct answer is B: Leptospirosis. Spiral-shaped bacteria with loose coils and pointed ends are characteristic of Leptospira interrogans, the causative agent of Leptospirosis. This bacterium is typically found in contaminated water or soil and can infect humans through contact with infected animals or water. Syphilis (Choice A) is caused by the spirochete Treponema pallidum, which has a more tightly coiled shape and does not typically appear loose or pointed. Relapsing fever (Choice C) is caused by Borrelia species, which are also spirochetes but do not have the loose coils and pointed ends described. Lyme disease (Choice D) is caused by Borrelia burgdorferi, which, like Relapsing fever, does not match the morphology described.

Correct Answer: C

Rationale: Rabbit fever, or tularemia, is caused by Francisella tularensis. This bacterium is known to infect a wide range of animals, including rabbits. The other choices, Bartonella henselae (causes cat scratch fever), Spirillum minus (causes rat bite fever), and Yersinia pestis (causes plague) are not associated with rabbit fever. Therefore, the correct answer is C based on the specific pathogen responsible for causing tularemia.