Which of the following is characteristic of Gram-negative bacteria?

Correct Answer: B

Rationale: The correct answer is B: Outer membrane containing lipopolysaccharides. Gram-negative bacteria have an outer membrane that contains lipopolysaccharides, which are important for protection and pathogenicity. This outer membrane is a unique feature of Gram-negative bacteria and is not present in Gram-positive bacteria, making it a key characteristic. A: Incorrect because Gram-negative bacteria have a thin peptidoglycan layer compared to Gram-positive bacteria. C: Incorrect because teichoic acids are a characteristic of Gram-positive bacteria, not Gram-negative bacteria. D: Incorrect because all bacteria, including Gram-negative bacteria, have a cell wall.

Correct Answer: C

Rationale: Step-by-step rationale: 1. Aspergillus flavus is a fungus known to produce aflatoxin. 2. Aflatoxin is a potent carcinogen found in contaminated food. 3. Candida albicans is a yeast species not associated with aflatoxin production. 4. Claviceps purpurea is a fungus that produces ergot alkaloids, not aflatoxin. 5. Staphylococcus aureus is a bacterium known for causing food poisoning, not aflatoxin production. Summary: Aspergillus flavus is the correct answer as it is the organism known to produce aflatoxin, a carcinogenic substance. Other choices are incorrect as they are not associated with aflatoxin production.

Correct Answer: D

Rationale: The correct answer is D: Fungi do not stain in the gram staining method because they have a unique cell wall composition different from bacteria. Fungi have chitin in their cell walls, which is not easily stained by the gram staining process. This method primarily targets the peptidoglycan layer present in bacterial cell walls. Therefore, fungi will not take up the stain and will remain colorless. The other choices (A: Blue-purple, B: Red, C: Silver) are incorrect because they describe colors that are associated with staining results for bacteria, not fungi.

Correct Answer: B

Rationale: The correct answer is B: Helicobacter pylori. This bacterium is responsible for stomach acid formation by producing an enzyme called urease, which converts urea into ammonia and carbon dioxide, leading to an increase in stomach pH. Staphylococcus aureus (A) does not cause stomach acid formation. Bacillus cereus (C) and Clostridium botulinum (D) are not involved in stomach acid processes.

Correct Answer: A

Rationale: The correct answer is A: Streptococcus pneumoniae. This is because the bacterium is Gram-positive cocci in pairs, catalase-negative, and alpha-hemolytic, which are characteristic features of S. pneumoniae. The other choices can be ruled out based on specific characteristics: B) Staphylococcus aureus is catalase-positive, C) Enterococcus faecalis is gamma-hemolytic, and D) Neisseria gonorrhoeae is a Gram-negative diplococcus. Therefore, based on the given information, S. pneumoniae is the most likely causative agent of the sepsis.

Correct Answer: D

Rationale: The correct answer is D, "All of the above." Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, and Neisseria meningitidis all produce endotoxins that can lead to septic shock. Endotoxins are part of the outer membrane of Gram-negative bacteria, such as E. coli and N. meningitidis, which can trigger a severe immune response leading to septic shock. S. aureus, a Gram-positive bacterium, produces toxins that can also contribute to septic shock. Therefore, all of these bacteria can produce endotoxins responsible for septic shock. Choices A, B, and C are incorrect because they only identify individual bacteria that produce endotoxins, whereas the correct answer encompasses all bacteria listed.

Correct Answer: B

Rationale: The correct answer is B because Q-fever is not transmitted only after ticks bite; it can also be transmitted through inhalation of contaminated aerosols. Rickettsia mooseri and Rickettsia provazekii can cause spotted fevers, making choice A correct. Mediterranean fever is associated with a recurrent pattern of fever, not maculopapular rash, making choice C incorrect. "None of the above" is not correct in this case as choice B is incorrect.

Correct Answer: B

Rationale: The correct answer is B: Phenols. Phenols act on the cell surface by disrupting cell membranes and denaturing proteins, leading to cell death. Soaps (A) work by lifting dirt and microbes off surfaces, not directly acting on cell surfaces. Amines (C) are typically used as disinfectants targeting specific enzymes in microbes, not cell surfaces. Polymyxin (D) is an antibiotic that works by disrupting cell membranes internally, not on the cell surface.

Correct Answer: D

Rationale: The correct answer is D, "None of the above," because viruses like Parotitidis (mumps), Rubella, and Influenza A are not typically associated with reactivation under immunosuppressive therapy. Reactivation is more commonly seen in latent viruses like herpesviruses (e.g., herpes simplex, varicella-zoster), cytomegalovirus, and Epstein-Barr virus. These viruses can remain dormant in the body and reactivate when the immune system is compromised. Therefore, the correct answer is D, as the viruses mentioned in choices A, B, and C do not fit the criteria for reactivation under immunosuppressive therapy.