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Ch. 21 - Microbial Diseases of the Skin and Eyes
Tortora - Microbiology: An Introduction 14th Edition
Tortora14th EditionMicrobiology: An IntroductionISBN: 9780138200398Not the one you use?Change textbook
Chapter 21, Problem 10

Which of the following pairs is mismatched?
a. Leading infectious cause of blindness—Chlamydia
b. Chickenpox—shingles
c. HSV-1—encephalitis
d. Buruli ulcer—stomach acid
e. None of the above

Verified step by step guidance
1
Step 1: Understand each pair by identifying the disease and its associated cause or characteristic. For example, Chlamydia is known as a leading infectious cause of blindness due to trachoma.
Step 2: Analyze pair (a): 'leading infectious cause of blindness—Chlamydia'. Confirm that Chlamydia trachomatis is indeed the bacterium responsible for trachoma, a major cause of blindness worldwide.
Step 3: Analyze pair (b): 'chickenpox—shingles'. Recognize that both chickenpox and shingles are caused by the varicella-zoster virus; chickenpox is the primary infection, and shingles is the reactivation later in life.
Step 4: Analyze pair (c): 'HSV-1—encephalitis'. Understand that Herpes Simplex Virus type 1 (HSV-1) can cause encephalitis, an inflammation of the brain, especially in adults and children.
Step 5: Analyze pair (d): 'Buruli ulcer—stomach acid'. Recall that Buruli ulcer is caused by Mycobacterium ulcerans, a skin infection, and is unrelated to stomach acid. This suggests a mismatch in this pair.

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Key Concepts

Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.

Infectious Causes of Blindness

Certain infectious agents are known to cause blindness, with Chlamydia trachomatis being the leading bacterial cause worldwide, especially through trachoma. Understanding which pathogens are linked to ocular diseases helps identify correct associations in clinical microbiology.
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Relationship Between Chickenpox and Shingles

Chickenpox and shingles are caused by the same virus, varicella-zoster virus (VZV). Chickenpox is the primary infection, while shingles is a reactivation of latent VZV in nerve cells, typically occurring later in life.
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Pathogenesis of Buruli Ulcer and Role of Stomach Acid

Buruli ulcer is a chronic skin infection caused by Mycobacterium ulcerans, unrelated to stomach acid. Stomach acid primarily defends against ingested pathogens, so linking Buruli ulcer to stomach acid is incorrect, making this pair mismatched.
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