Microbiological analysis of medicinal raw materials revealed capsular bacteria. What stain method was used to detect the capsules?

Correct Answer: A

Rationale: The correct answer is A: Gin's stain method. Gin's stain method is specifically used to detect capsules of bacteria. This method involves staining the bacteria with crystal violet and copper sulfate, which highlights the capsules as a clear halo around the stained bacterial cells. Ziehl-Neelsen's stain is used for acid-fast bacteria like Mycobacterium tuberculosis, Neisser's stain is for detecting Neisseria species, and Gram's stain is for differentiating bacteria based on their cell wall composition (Gram-positive vs. Gram-negative). Therefore, choices B, C, and D are incorrect for this scenario.

Correct Answer: A

Rationale: The correct answer is A: Entamoeba histolytica. This is because it is a protozoan parasite known to cause amoebic dysentery, presenting with chronic diarrhea and cysts with four nuclei in the stool sample. Giardia lamblia (B) causes giardiasis with trophozoites and cysts with two nuclei. Balantidium coli (C) is a ciliated parasite causing dysentery with large trophozoites. Trichomonas hominis (D) is a non-pathogenic flagellate often found in the human intestine. Thus, based on the specific characteristics of the cysts and clinical presentation, Entamoeba histolytica is the most likely causative agent.

Correct Answer: C

Rationale: The correct answer is C: Staphylococcus. Staphylococcus is a common bacteria that can cause neonatal conjunctivitis, also known as "sticky eye." Staphylococcal conjunctivitis presents with symptoms like eye redness, discharge, and swelling. Streptococcus (choice A) typically causes throat infections, herpes simplex (choice B) causes genital or oral sores, and Escherichia (choice D) is a bacteria commonly found in the gastrointestinal tract and is not typically associated with neonatal conjunctivitis. Therefore, the most likely pathogen causing "sticky eye" in newborns is Staphylococcus.

Correct Answer: C

Rationale: The correct answer is C: Quinine. Quinine is known for its destructive effect on erythrocytic forms of malarial plasmodia and dysenteric amoebae. It is commonly used for the treatment and prevention of diseases such as malaria, amebiasis, and interstitial disease. Quinine works by interfering with the parasite's ability to break down hemoglobin in red blood cells, ultimately leading to their destruction. Incorrect choices: A: Chingamin - Chingamin is not typically used to treat malaria, amebiasis, or interstitial disease. B: Emetine hydrochloride - Emetine hydrochloride is primarily used for treating amoebic dysentery and is not commonly used for malaria treatment. D: Erythromycin - Erythromycin is an antibiotic used to treat bacterial infections, not parasitic infections like malaria or amebiasis.

Correct Answer: A

Rationale: The correct answer is A: Tetanus. Tetanus is caused by the bacterium Clostridium tetani, which produces a toxin affecting the nervous system. Symptoms such as malaise, irritability, muscular twitching, and high body temperature are characteristic of tetanus due to muscle spasms and rigidity. The 15-day incubation period after trauma aligns with the typical onset of tetanus symptoms. Incorrect choices: B: Anaerobic gas gangrene - This condition usually presents with localized tissue necrosis and gas bubbles in the affected area, not systemic symptoms like malaise and headache. C: Erysipelas - This is a bacterial skin infection presenting with red, swollen patches, not the neurological symptoms seen in tetanus. D: Acute thrombophlebitis - This is a blood clot in a vein causing pain and swelling, not associated with the systemic symptoms and muscle twitching seen in tetanus.

Correct Answer: A

Rationale: The correct answer is A: 96% ethanol. In Gram's staining method, after applying gentian violet, Lugol's solution, and aqueous fuchsin, the next step is to use a decolorizing agent like 96% ethanol to wash away the excess stain from the Gram-negative bacteria. This step is crucial as it helps differentiate between Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria based on their cell wall properties. The other choices are incorrect because sulfuric acid is not used in Gram's staining method, methylene blue is typically used in other staining techniques like the simple stain, and carbolic fuchsin is not a standard reagent in the Gram's staining process.

Correct Answer: B

Rationale: The correct answer is B: intravenous administration. This route bypasses the first-pass metabolism, allowing the drug to directly enter the bloodstream for immediate distribution. In contrast, on the skin (A) and sublingual (D) routes have slower absorption rates due to barriers like skin layers or mucous membranes. Intramuscular (C) absorption is slower than intravenous due to slower perfusion rates in muscle tissues. Overall, intravenous administration provides the fastest and most direct route for drug absorption, making it the most rapid method.

Correct Answer: A

Rationale: The correct answer is A: Gin's stain method. Gin's stain method is specifically used to detect capsules of bacteria. This method involves staining the bacteria with crystal violet and copper sulfate, which highlights the capsules as a clear halo around the stained bacterial cells. Ziehl-Neelsen's stain is used for acid-fast bacteria like Mycobacterium tuberculosis, Neisser's stain is for detecting Neisseria species, and Gram's stain is for differentiating bacteria based on their cell wall composition (Gram-positive vs. Gram-negative). Therefore, choices B, C, and D are incorrect for this scenario.

Correct Answer: D

Rationale: Bacteriophages are viruses that infect bacteria, not living organisms. They do not reproduce through division, mitosis, or meiosis because they lack the cellular machinery for these processes. Instead, bacteriophages replicate by inserting their genetic material into a host bacterium and hijacking its cellular machinery to produce new viral particles. Therefore, the correct answer is D - None of them. Division and mitosis involve cellular division in living organisms, while meiosis is a specialized process for sexual reproduction in eukaryotic organisms, none of which apply to bacteriophages.