The term complex as used in the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex:
A)means that the identification of the organism is complex and is only performed in large reference laboratories.
B)is used to describe two or more species whose distinction is complicated and of little or no medical importance.
C)refers to a set of organisms that are genetically indistinguishable but are phenotypically different.
D)refers to different subtypes of the bacteria M.tuberculosis.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The term complex is used in the clinical microbiology laboratory setting to describe two or more species whose distinction is complicated and of little or no medical importance.The mycobacterial species that occur in humans and belong to the M.tuberculosis complex include M.tuberculosis,Mycobacterium bovis,M.bovis bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG),Mycobacterium africanum,Mycobacterium caprae,Mycobacterium microti,Mycobacterium canettii,and Mycobacterium pinnipedii.All of the species in the M.tuberculosis complex are capable of causing tuberculosis.

The Term Complex as Used in the Mycobacterium Tuberculosis Complex