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.
-Biochemical testing reveals that the organism further reduces nitrite to produce nitrous oxide.Based on this byproduct,which of the following is the most likely catabolic pathway utilized by this organism?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Reduction of nitrite to nitrous oxide is a characteristic of anaerobic respiration, as this process occurs in the absence of oxygen. Aerobic respiration does not typically produce nitrous oxide, and fermentation does not involve the use of electron acceptors like nitrite. Option D is partially true, but the presence of nitrous oxide in this scenario indicates that anaerobic respiration is the most likely catabolic pathway utilized by this organism.

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