foundations in microbiology test bank

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: B

Rationale: The correct answer is B: EIEC. This strain of E. coli can cause bloody diarrhea in children similar to shigellosis due to its ability to invade and replicate within the intestinal epithelial cells, leading to inflammation and bloody stools. ETEC (A) causes watery diarrhea due to enterotoxins. EAEC (C) causes persistent diarrhea. EPEC (D) causes attaching and effacing lesions on the intestinal mucosa without invasion.

Correct Answer: B

Rationale: The correct answer is B: Yersinia pestis. Y. pestis is the causative agent of plague, a serious infectious disease transmitted through fleas. It causes bubonic, pneumonic, and septicemic plague. Bordetella pertussis causes whooping cough, Rickettsia prowazekii causes epidemic typhus, and Treponema pallidum causes syphilis. Y. pestis is the correct answer because it is specifically associated with plague, making the other options incorrect.

Correct Answer: A

Rationale: The correct answer is A: Isoniazid. Isoniazid is known to cause peripheral neuropathy as a side effect, especially with prolonged use. It can lead to symptoms such as numbness, tingling, and weakness in the toes and fingers due to its neurotoxic effects. Rifampicin (B) is less likely to cause neuropathy. Ciprofloxacin (C) is not typically associated with neuropathy. Sodium salt of benzylpenicillin (D) is an antibiotic but is not known to cause polyneuritis.

Correct Answer: B

Rationale: The correct answer is B: Fimbriae. Fimbriae are short, hair-like appendages on the surface of bacteria that help in attachment to surfaces. They aid in colonization and biofilm formation. Flagella (A) are used for motility. Pili (C) are longer appendages used for conjugation and adherence to other cells. Capsules (D) are protective structures that aid in evading the host immune system, not necessarily for attachment.