Which bacteria are responsible for causing the disease known as 'whooping cough'?

Correct Answer: A

Rationale: The correct answer is A: Bordetella pertussis. Bordetella pertussis is the bacterium responsible for causing whooping cough, also known as pertussis. It produces toxins that damage the respiratory tract, leading to severe coughing fits. Haemophilus influenzae, Streptococcus pneumoniae, and Mycobacterium tuberculosis are not associated with whooping cough. Haemophilus influenzae can cause respiratory infections but not whooping cough. Streptococcus pneumoniae is known for causing pneumonia, and Mycobacterium tuberculosis causes tuberculosis, both different from whooping cough. Therefore, the correct answer is A as it is the specific bacterium linked to the disease in question.

Correct Answer: D

Rationale: The correct answer is D: Fibers at the vertices of the icosahedron. Adenoviruses have fibers at the vertices of the icosahedron, which give them their distinctive pattern. These fibers help in attaching to host cells. Choices A, B, and C are incorrect because adenoviruses do not have a lipid envelope, helical capsid, or ssDNA. Adenoviruses have a non-enveloped icosahedral capsid and contain dsDNA. This makes choice D the correct answer as it specifically relates to the unique structural feature of adenoviruses.

Correct Answer: D

Rationale: The correct answer is D because antigens can be composed of lipids, proteins, or polysaccharides. Antigens are molecules that can elicit an immune response in the body. They can be diverse in their chemical composition, leading to the recognition and response by the immune system. Therefore, the correct choice is D as antigens can be any of these chemical components. Choices A, B, and C are incorrect because they each represent a possible chemical composition of antigens, but the flexibility of antigens to be made up of any of these components makes D the most accurate choice.

Correct Answer: B

Rationale: The correct answer is B: Mycelium. Mycelium refers to the network of branching filaments that form the main body of a fungus. When fungi grow on solid media, they develop a visible mass of mycelium. Hyphae (A) are the individual filaments that make up mycelium. Spores (C) are reproductive cells produced by fungi. Columella (D) refers to a specialized structure found in some fungi but is not related to the colonies grown on solid media. Therefore, the correct term for the colonies of fungi on solid media is mycelium.

Correct Answer: B

Rationale: The correct answer is B: Uptake of naked DNA from the environment. Bacterial transformation is a process where bacteria take up free DNA from their surroundings and incorporate it into their own genome. This process is essential for genetic recombination and the acquisition of new traits. Plasmids are small DNA molecules that can be transferred between bacteria, but not necessarily through pili. Bacteriophages are viruses that infect bacteria and transfer their DNA, but this is not the primary mechanism of bacterial transformation. Binary fission is a method of bacterial reproduction, not related to the uptake of DNA.

Correct Answer: A

Rationale: The correct answer is A: Bacillus anthracis. The black, painless carbuncle with peripheral vesicular rash is characteristic of cutaneous anthrax. Microscopy showing non-motile Gram-positive rods with a capsule aligns with Bacillus anthracis. The other choices can be eliminated: B: Staphylococcus aureus does not typically form a black lesion or have a capsule. C: Clostridium perfringens causes gas gangrene, not the described lesion. D: Bacillus subtilis is not associated with the specific clinical presentation mentioned.

Correct Answer: B

Rationale: The correct answer is B: IgM. IgM antibodies are the first type of antibodies produced in response to an infection, indicating an active or recent infection. In the case of a rubella virus infection in a fetus, IgM antibodies can be detected in the umbilical cord blood, confirming the presence of the virus. IgA antibodies are mainly found in mucosal areas, IgG antibodies indicate past infection or immunity, and IgD antibodies play a role in B cell activation but are not typically detected in this context.

Correct Answer: A

Rationale: The correct answer is A because in the lytic cycle, the bacteriophage destroys the host cell upon release, whereas in the lysogenic cycle, the phage integrates its DNA into the host genome without killing the host immediately. This integration may lead to the destruction of the host cell at a later stage. Choice B is incorrect as lytic phages do destroy the host cell. Choice C is incorrect as the two cycles have distinct mechanisms. Choice D is incorrect as there are clear differences between the lytic and lysogenic cycles.

Correct Answer: C

Rationale: The correct answer is C: Plague. Yersinia pestis is a bacterium that causes plague, a serious infectious disease transmitted through infected fleas or direct contact with infected animals. Yersinia pestis does not cause Cholera (choice A) or AIDS (choice B). Choice D, None of the above, is incorrect as Yersinia pestis is indeed the causative agent of plague.