Which of the following bacteria is a common cause of pneumonia?

Correct Answer: D

Rationale: The correct answer is D: All of the above. - Streptococcus pneumoniae is a common cause of community-acquired pneumonia. - Mycobacterium tuberculosis can cause pulmonary tuberculosis, which can present as pneumonia-like symptoms. - Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an opportunistic pathogen that can cause pneumonia in immunocompromised individuals. Therefore, all three bacteria can cause pneumonia, making option D the correct choice. Options A, B, and C are incorrect because they each represent a bacterium that can cause pneumonia, so only selecting one of them would not encompass all common causes of pneumonia.

Correct Answer: B

Rationale: The correct answer is B because viruses can indeed be cultured on hen embryos, cell cultures, and experimental animals in vitro. This method allows for the replication and study of viruses outside the host organism. Option A is incorrect as viral cultivation is possible in laboratory settings. Option C is incorrect because while viruses can be grown on nutrient media, it is not the only method. Option D is incorrect as viruses can be cultured in various types of cell cultures, not just human embryonic ones.

Correct Answer: A

Rationale: The correct answer is A: Kitt-Tarozzi medium. This medium is specifically designed to culture Clostridium species, the causative agents of gas gangrene. Clostridium species are gram-positive bacilli that produce gas during their metabolism. Inoculating the material into Kitt-Tarozzi medium allows for the selective growth of Clostridium species, aiding in the confirmation of a gas gangrene diagnosis. Other choices are incorrect: B: Endo agar is used for the isolation of gram-negative enteric bacteria. C: Meat-peptone agar is a general-purpose medium and not specific for Clostridium species. D: Levine agar is used for the isolation of Salmonella and Shigella species, not Clostridium.

Correct Answer: C

Rationale: The correct answer is C: (+RNA). This indicates that the scientist found a positive-sense RNA strand that can be directly translated by host cell machinery to produce viral proteins. Positive-sense RNA can act as messenger RNA, allowing immediate protein synthesis during viral replication. Choice A (RNA major) and D (RNA minor) are not standard terms used to describe RNA strands in virology. Choice B (-RNA) indicates a negative-sense RNA strand, which requires transcription to form a complementary positive-sense strand before protein synthesis. Thus, the identification of a strand of RNA that directly codes for viral proteins aligns with the characteristics of a positive-sense RNA strand.

Correct Answer: C

Rationale: The correct answer is C: Contaminated wounds. Tetanus is caused by the bacterium Clostridium tetani, which enters the body through breaks in the skin such as wounds or cuts. The bacteria produce a toxin that affects the nervous system, leading to muscle stiffness and spasms. Ingestion of contaminated food (choice A) is not a mode of transmission for tetanus. Inhalation of droplets (choice B) is more relevant for respiratory infections. Direct physical contact (choice D) is not the primary mode of transmission for tetanus as the bacteria need a portal of entry such as a wound to cause infection.

Correct Answer: A

Rationale: The presence of rods with polar dark blue granules stained by Neisser's method indicates metachromatic granules consistent with Corynebacterium diphtheriae. The characteristic staining pattern is due to the presence of polar granules in the bacterial cells, a feature specific to Corynebacterium diphtheriae. Bacillus anthracis, Clostridium tetani, and Escherichia coli do not exhibit this staining pattern or morphology typical of Corynebacterium diphtheriae, making them incorrect choices.

Correct Answer: B

Rationale: The correct answer is B: protein synthesis. Bacterial ribosomes are responsible for translating messenger RNA into proteins through a process called translation. Ribosomes are composed of both protein and RNA molecules and facilitate the binding of transfer RNA to the messenger RNA to assemble the amino acids in the correct order to form a protein. DNA replication (A) is carried out by enzymes such as DNA polymerase, not ribosomes. Cell wall synthesis (C) is a process involving enzymes that build the structure of the cell wall in bacteria. RNA splicing (D) is a eukaryotic process that involves removing introns from pre-mRNA molecules, which is not a function of bacterial ribosomes.

Correct Answer: B

Rationale: The correct answer is B: resisting phagocytosis. Bacterial capsules are composed of polysaccharides that help bacteria evade phagocytosis by immune cells. This physical barrier prevents immune cells from engulfing and destroying the bacteria. Facilitating motility (A), synthesizing DNA (C), and producing energy (D) are not primary functions of bacterial capsules. Motility is usually facilitated by flagella, DNA synthesis occurs in the bacterial chromosome, and energy production is typically carried out by metabolic processes within the bacterial cell.

Correct Answer: C

Rationale: The correct answer is C: Transcription. Transcription is the process of synthesizing RNA from a DNA template. During transcription, RNA polymerase binds to the DNA and produces a complementary RNA strand. This process is essential for gene expression. Explanation for why other choices are incorrect: A: Transposition involves the movement of genetic elements within a genome, not the production of RNA from DNA. B: Translation is the process of synthesizing proteins from mRNA, not the production of RNA from DNA. D: RNA splicing is the process of removing introns and joining exons in pre-mRNA to produce mature mRNA, not the initial production of RNA from DNA.