Bacteria That Exhibit Antigenic Shifts and Phase Variations Will Most

Question

Bacteria that exhibit antigenic shifts and phase variations will most likely cause
A) host immunity.
B) recurrent infections in the exposed host.
C) death each time a host is infected.
D) subclinical infections.
E) mild, acute infections.

Accepted Answer

Bacteria that exhibit antigenic shifts and phase variations are able to change their surface antigens, which makes it difficult for the immune system to recognize and eliminate them. This can lead to recurrent infections in the exposed host as the bacteria evade the host's immune response. However, these infections may not always result in severe disease and can be mild or subclinical. Death or host immunity are not necessarily the outcome of these bacterial changes.