Which bacterium is known for causing food poisoning due to its production of enterotoxins?

Correct Answer: A

Rationale: The correct answer is A: Staphylococcus aureus. This bacterium causes food poisoning by producing enterotoxins that lead to symptoms like nausea and vomiting. Staphylococcus aureus can survive in various food items and multiply rapidly, producing toxins that are heat-stable. Clostridium botulinum causes botulism due to neurotoxins, not enterotoxins. Salmonella enterica causes gastrointestinal infections, not primarily food poisoning. Vibrio cholerae causes cholera by producing a toxin that leads to severe watery diarrhea and dehydration, not enterotoxins like Staphylococcus aureus.

Correct Answer: D

Rationale: The correct answer is D: Proteus vulgaris. This is because Proteus species are non-lactose-fermenting Gram-negative rods that are known to produce gas in nutrient broths. Proteus vulgaris is commonly associated with urinary tract infections and can also cause abdominal infections. A: Salmonella typhi typically causes typhoid fever and is not known to produce gas in nutrient broths. B: Shigella dysenteriae is a causative agent of dysentery and does not typically produce gas in nutrient broths. C: Escherichia coli is a lactose-fermenting bacterium and does not fit the description of the organism in the stool culture.

Correct Answer: A

Rationale: The correct answer is A: Streptococcus pneumoniae. This bacteria is known for causing pneumonia due to its ability to infect the lungs and cause inflammation leading to pneumonia symptoms. It is a common cause of community-acquired pneumonia. Mycobacterium tuberculosis (B) causes tuberculosis, not pneumonia. Escherichia coli (C) is associated with urinary tract infections and gastrointestinal infections, not pneumonia. Pseudomonas aeruginosa (D) is known to cause infections in immunocompromised individuals but is not a common cause of pneumonia.

Correct Answer: D

Rationale: The correct answer is D because all three bacteria listed are capable of producing exotoxins that can cause severe diarrhea. Escherichia coli can produce toxins that lead to diarrhea. Clostridium botulinum produces a neurotoxin causing botulism, which can also result in diarrhea. Vibrio cholerae is known for producing cholera toxin, a potent exotoxin that causes severe watery diarrhea. The other choices are incorrect because each bacterium listed is capable of producing a toxin that can cause diarrhea.

Correct Answer: A

Rationale: The correct answer is A: Clostridium botulinum. This bacterium produces the botulinum neurotoxin, which causes paralysis by blocking the release of acetylcholine at neuromuscular junctions. Clostridium perfringens causes gas gangrene, not paralysis. Escherichia coli is associated with gastrointestinal infections, not paralysis. Staphylococcus aureus produces enterotoxins causing food poisoning, not paralysis. Therefore, Clostridium botulinum is the correct choice based on its well-known association with paralysis due to botulinum neurotoxin production.