Correct Answer: C

Rationale: The correct answer is C: rotaviruses. Rotaviruses are the most common cause of infectious diarrhea in infants and children due to their highly contagious nature and ability to spread easily in childcare settings. They are known to cause severe diarrhea, vomiting, and dehydration in young children. Noroviruses (A), adenoviruses (B), and caliciviruses (D) can also cause diarrhea, but rotaviruses are specifically known for their prevalence and severity in the pediatric population. This is why C is the correct answer.

Correct Answer: A

Rationale: The correct answer is A: prions. Prions are misfolded proteins that can cause spongiform encephalopathy by inducing normal proteins to misfold as well. Prions lack genetic material, distinguishing them from viruses (B), bacteria (C), and fungi (D), which all contain genetic material and cannot directly cause spongiform encephalopathy through protein misfolding.

Correct Answer: B

Rationale: The correct answer is B because antigenic drift is not caused by the exchange of genetic information between animal and human influenza viruses. Antigenic drift is actually due to point mutations in the genes that encode for the surface proteins of the virus, leading to small changes in the antigens. These mutations can affect the hemagglutinin of both type A and B influenza viruses, making choices A and C correct. Choice D is incorrect because antigenic drift can occur in both type A and B influenza viruses, with type B being less prone to drift compared to type A.

Correct Answer: D

Rationale: The correct answer is D, Salmonella typhi, because it is a motile bacterium due to possessing flagella that aid in movement. Bacillus anthracis (A) is non-motile, Klebsiella pneumoniae (B) lacks flagella for motility, and Shigella flexneri (C) is non-motile as well. Salmonella typhi (D) is known for its flagella-driven motility, allowing it to move and spread within its host and environment. Flagella are essential for bacterial motility, enabling them to navigate and colonize different environments efficiently.

Correct Answer: C

Rationale: The correct answer is C: Negative stain. Negative staining uses acidic dyes which are repelled by the bacterial cell wall components, highlighting bacteria with a large amount of peptidoglycan. Acid-fast stain (A) is used to identify Mycobacterium species with waxy cell walls. Gram stain (B) differentiates bacteria into Gram-positive and Gram-negative based on cell wall composition. Option D is a duplicate of option C and is incorrect.