Microbiology Basic and Clinical Principles Test Bank

Correct Answer: A

Rationale: The most likely diagnosis is A: Pneumonic plague. The patient's symptoms align with the presentation of pneumonic plague, caused by the bacterium Yersinia pestis. Symptoms include high fever, severe headache, dyspnea, cough with bloody sputum, and cyanosis. The characteristic bubonic plague lymphadenopathy may be absent in the pneumonic form. The patient's recent travel history to India also raises suspicion, as plague is endemic in some regions. The other choices can be ruled out based on the patient's symptoms and presentation. Miliary tuberculosis typically presents with diffuse miliary nodules on imaging. Influenza typically presents with more generalized symptoms and does not usually cause rusty sputum. Ornithosis is caused by Chlamydophila psittaci and usually presents with pneumonia-like symptoms after exposure to infected birds.

Correct Answer: D

Rationale: Rationale: 1. Streptococcus pneumoniae is a common cause of bacterial pneumonia. 2. Mycobacterium tuberculosis can cause a type of pneumonia called tuberculosis. 3. Escherichia coli is not typically associated with pneumonia. 4. "All of the above" includes both Streptococcus pneumoniae and Mycobacterium tuberculosis, which are known to cause pneumonia. Therefore, D is the correct answer.

Correct Answer: D

Rationale: Step-by-step rationale: 1. Treponema pallidum and Borrelia burgdorferi are both spirochetes. 2. Spirochetes are characterized by their spiral shape and unique motility. 3. Both organisms exhibit corkscrew-like movement due to axial filaments. 4. Other choices are incorrect as Treponema and Borrelia are not gram-negative rods, cocci, or anaerobic cocci. Summary: The correct answer is D because Treponema pallidum and Borrelia burgdorferi are spirochetes, characterized by their spiral shape and motility. Other choices are incorrect as they do not accurately describe the characteristics of these organisms.

Correct Answer: A

Rationale: The correct answer is A: BCG. BCG vaccine is commonly used for tuberculosis prevention because it provides immunity against Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Mantoux is a test, not a vaccine. DTaP vaccine is for diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis, not tuberculosis. Anatoxin is a type of toxoid vaccine, not used for tuberculosis prevention. BCG vaccine has been shown to be effective in preventing severe forms of tuberculosis in infants, making it the appropriate choice in this scenario.

Correct Answer: A

Rationale: The correct answer is A: Mycolic acid in the cell wall. Mycolic acid is a unique component of the cell wall of Mycobacterium species, including the causative agent of tuberculosis. The Ziehl-Neelsen method uses acid-fast staining, where mycolic acid confers resistance to decolorization by acid-alcohol, causing the bacteria to retain the red stain. Choices B, C, and D are incorrect as capsules, flagella, and peptidoglycan layers do not directly contribute to acid-fast staining characteristic of Mycobacterium species.