nmdcat.online
BIO NMDCAT Sexually transmitted diseases
nmdcat.online July 16, 2026

Concerning the treatment of sexually transmitted diseases, the fundamental reason why antibiotics are effective against syphilis but entirely ineffective against genital herpes is that:

A. Syphilis is caused by a virus, whereas herpes is caused by a bacterium.
B. Antibiotics target bacterial cellular structures absent in viruses.
✓
C. The herpes virus actively metabolizes antibiotics for energy.
D. Syphilis spirochetes lack a cell wall.

📝 Explanation

The correct option is Antibiotics target bacterial cellular structures absent in viruses. Antibiotics (like penicillin) disrupt bacterial-specific processes like cell wall synthesis. Herpes is a virus, which lacks these structures and replicates inside host cells, rendering antibiotics completely ineffective.

📖 Additional Information

  • Syphilis is caused by a virus, whereas herpes is caused by a bacterium.
  • Antibiotics target bacterial cellular structures absent in viruses.
  • The herpes virus actively metabolizes antibiotics for energy.
  • Syphilis spirochetes lack a cell wall.

The correct option is Antibiotics target bacterial cellular structures absent in viruses. Antibiotics (like penicillin) disrupt bacterial-specific processes like cell wall synthesis. Herpes is a virus, which lacks these structures and replicates inside host cells, rendering antibiotics completely ineffective.

🔗 Share This Question

Facebook Twitter LinkedIn WhatsApp

🧭 Navigate Questions

Previous Question

An untreated infection of Neisseria gonorrhoeae in a female patient spreads to the fallopian tubes, causing scar tissue formation. The most critical reproductive consequence of this specific tubal damage is an increased risk of:

Next Question

During the initial mucosal colonization by Neisseria gonorrhoeae, the pathogen evades being washed away by urine or vaginal secretions primarily by utilizing:

Back to All Questions

🔗 Related MCQs

An increase in the incidence of ectopic pregnancies within a population can often be epidemiologically correlated with a prior increase in the prevalence of which sexually transmitted disease?
July 16, 2026
In the life cycle of Herpes Simplex Virus 2 (HSV-2), the virus travels along nerve fibers to reach the sensory ganglia. The cellular mechanism responsible for this retrograde transport utilizes:
July 16, 2026
A defining characteristic of the lesions associated with the secondary stage of syphilis is that they:
July 16, 2026
The causative agent of genital herpes, HSV-2, is enveloped. The biological significance of this viral envelope in the context of transmission is that it makes the virus:
July 16, 2026
The structural basis for the severe cardiovascular complications seen in tertiary syphilis, such as aortic aneurysms, is the chronic inflammation and destruction of:
July 16, 2026

Categories

View all →