Microbiology Chapter 1 Test Bank

Correct Answer: D

Rationale: The correct answer is D: Viscerotropic Leishmania. The presence of crescent-shaped bodies with pointed tips, blue cytoplasm, and red nuclei is characteristic of Leishmania species. Viscerotropic Leishmania causes visceral leishmaniasis, also known as kala-azar, which affects the internal organs. Toxoplasma typically presents as tachyzoites, not crescent-shaped bodies. Plasmodium malariae is a malaria parasite with different morphology. Dermatotropic Leishmania causes cutaneous leishmaniasis, not the visceral form indicated by the morphology described in the question.

Correct Answer: D

Rationale: The correct answer is D because virulent strains of Listeria monocytogenes exhibit multiple pathogenic factors. A: They do not have endotoxin-like substances, so this is incorrect. B: They are indeed facultative intracellular bacteria, aiding in their ability to survive and replicate inside host cells. C: They produce hemolysin, which helps them lyse red blood cells. Therefore, the correct answer is D, as all of the above statements are true for virulent strains of Listeria monocytogenes.

Correct Answer: A

Rationale: The correct answer is A: Pertussis bacillus. The symptoms described - elevated temperature and typical cough - are indicative of whooping cough, caused by Bordetella pertussis. By inoculating mucus from the nasopharynx on agar, the doctor is trying to isolate the causative agent, which is likely to be Pertussis bacillus. Summary of other choices: B: Pfeiffer's bacillus (Haemophilus influenzae): Unlikely as symptoms do not match. C: Listeria: Unlikely as it typically causes foodborne illness, not respiratory infections. D: Klebsiella: Unlikely as it is more commonly associated with pneumonia in immunocompromised individuals.

Correct Answer: B

Rationale: The central dogma of molecular biology, which describes the flow of genetic information from DNA to RNA to proteins, was first proposed by Francis Crick. Crick, along with James Watson, discovered the structure of DNA in 1953, leading to the understanding of how genetic information is stored and transmitted. Ernst Ruska was a physicist who developed the electron microscope, not related to genetic information flow. Camillo Golgi was an Italian biologist known for the discovery of the Golgi apparatus, not central to the central dogma. Carl Bender is not a prominent figure in the field of molecular biology. In summary, Francis Crick is the correct answer as he played a pivotal role in introducing the central dogma of molecular biology.

Correct Answer: A

Rationale: The correct answer is A: Clostridium tetani. The presence of Gram-positive rods with terminal spores resembling drumsticks indicates Clostridium tetani, the causative agent of tetanus. This bacterium forms spores at one end, giving it a drumstick appearance under the microscope. Clostridium perfringens (B) and Clostridium botulinum (D) do not have terminal spores. Bacillus anthracis (C) forms spores but typically appears as a square-ended or bamboo stick shape. Therefore, based on the microscopy findings, Clostridium tetani is the most likely microorganism responsible for the wound infection.