A 67-year-old patient with severe sepsis undergoes a full infectious workup upon admittance to the intensive care unit. Cultures of urine, blood, sputum, and cerebral spinal fluid are obtained. The cultures do not yield a specific organism, so further analysis of the sample is done to determine the characteristics of the microorganism. The organism's metabolic processes are analyzed in the lab.
-The organism sample is further tested and found to grow in the absence of oxygen.Which of three main pathways of catabolism may this organism utilize to produce energy under these circumstances?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The organism is able to grow in the absence of oxygen, indicating that it is likely an obligate anaerobe or facultative anaerobe. Therefore, it would utilize fermentation or anaerobic respiration to produce energy under these conditions. Option A is incorrect because aerobic respiration requires oxygen, and the organism is able to grow in the absence of oxygen. Option B is incorrect because anaerobic respiration requires an electron acceptor other than oxygen, which is not specified in the question. Option D is incorrect because it includes aerobic respiration, which requires oxygen.

A 67-Year-Old Patient with Severe Sepsis Undergoes a Full Infectious