microbiology chapter 11 test bank

Correct Answer: C

Rationale: The correct answer is C, transplacental mechanism. Listeria monocytogenes can cross the placenta, infecting the fetus during pregnancy. This mechanism allows the bacteria to be transmitted from mother to baby in utero. Alimentary mechanism (A) involves ingestion of contaminated food, not direct transfer between individuals. Transmission (B) is a broad term that doesn't specify the specific route of Listeria transmission. Physical contact (D) is not a common mode of Listeria transmission compared to transplacental transmission in the case of maternal-fetal infection.

Correct Answer: A

Rationale: 1. Bordetella pertussis causes whooping cough. 2. It secretes toxins that damage the respiratory tract. 3. Symptoms include severe coughing fits and the characteristic "whoop" sound. 4. Clostridium tetani causes tetanus, not whooping cough. 5. Haemophilus influenzae causes various infections, not whooping cough. 6. Staphylococcus aureus causes skin infections, not whooping cough.

Correct Answer: A

Rationale: The correct answer is A: Contaminated. The air is never completely free of microorganisms, so it is considered contaminated. Microorganisms are ubiquitous in the environment. Permissible limits (B) imply a specific standard, which is not relevant to the general microbiological characteristic of air. Almost pure (C) and pure (D) are not accurate as air always contains some level of microorganisms.

Correct Answer: C

Rationale: The correct answer is C: Rickettsia. Rickettsia is a host-dependent bacterium because it requires living cells of a host organism to survive and replicate. This bacterium is an obligate intracellular pathogen, meaning it cannot grow outside of a host cell. A: Mycoplasma and B: Ureaplasma are not host-dependent as they can grow and reproduce in cell-free environments due to possessing their own unique cell wall structures. D: Micrococcus is a free-living bacterium that can survive and reproduce independently without relying on a host organism.

Correct Answer: A

Rationale: The correct answer is A: Streptococcus pneumoniae. The presence of Gram-positive cocci in pairs with a capsule is characteristic of Streptococcus pneumoniae. This bacterium is a common cause of bacterial pharyngitis, leading to a severe sore throat. Staphylococcus aureus (B) does not typically present in pairs or have a capsule. Neisseria meningitidis (C) is a Gram-negative diplococcus, not a Gram-positive cocci. Klebsiella pneumoniae (D) is a Gram-negative bacillus, not a cocci. Thus, based on the characteristics described in the question, Streptococcus pneumoniae is the most likely causative agent.