Which of the following bacteria is responsible for causing syphilis?

Correct Answer: A

Rationale: Step 1: Treponema pallidum is a spirochete bacterium known to cause syphilis. Step 2: It is sexually transmitted and can cause various stages of disease. Step 3: Neisseria gonorrhoeae causes gonorrhea, not syphilis. Step 4: Chlamydia trachomatis causes chlamydia, not syphilis. Step 5: Escherichia coli is a common gut bacterium and not responsible for syphilis. Treponema pallidum is the correct answer as it is the specific bacterium known to cause syphilis.

Correct Answer: B

Rationale: The correct answer is B: Gram's staining method. The rationale for this is as follows: Gentian violet and Lugol's solution are used as primary and mordant stains in the Gram's staining method. Spiritus 960 is used as a decolorizer, and water fuchsin is used as a counterstain. This staining method is commonly used in microbiology to differentiate bacteria into Gram-positive and Gram-negative based on their cell wall characteristics. A: Leffler's staining method is used for the identification of diphtheria bacilli. C: Ziehl-Neelsen's staining method is used for acid-fast bacteria like Mycobacterium tuberculosis. D: Neisser's staining method is used for the identification of Neisseria species. In summary, the use of specific reactives and stainers in the question indicates the application of the Gram's staining method for bacterial differentiation.

Correct Answer: A

Rationale: The Ziehl-Neelsen stain is specific for acid-fast bacteria like Mycobacterium tuberculosis. The bright red bacilli seen in the smear indicate the presence of acid-fast organisms, which is characteristic of Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Staphylococcus aureus, Clostridium tetani, and Escherichia coli are not acid-fast bacteria and would not be stained red using the Ziehl-Neelsen method. Therefore, the correct answer is A: Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

Correct Answer: C

Rationale: The correct answer is C: adhesion to surfaces and conjugation. Pili are hair-like structures on the surface of bacteria that help them adhere to surfaces and facilitate the transfer of genetic material during conjugation. This is essential for bacterial survival and reproduction. Choice A is incorrect because protection from desiccation is typically associated with other structures like capsules. Choice B is incorrect as motility in bacteria is usually facilitated by flagella. Choice D is incorrect as spore formation involves the formation of specialized structures, not pili.

Correct Answer: C

Rationale: The correct answer is C because coagulase helps bacteria like Staphylococcus aureus to form clots, allowing them to evade the host immune response. This mechanism helps the bacteria to hide from the immune system and establish infection. A. Adhesion to surfaces is usually facilitated by other factors like adhesins. B. Breaking down red blood cells is not a function of coagulase. D. Antibiotic resistance is typically mediated by other mechanisms like efflux pumps or enzymatic inactivation, not coagulase.