[Campbell Biology P.463] Referencing Graphs A and B, which of the following best explains th... | Practice Question

Referencing Graphs A and B, which of the following best explains the difference in the patterns of pathogen increase during an infection?

  • A: Bacteria replicate immediately and continuously, while viruses have an initial latent period before synchronous bursts of replication.
  • B: Graph A shows a chronic infection, whereas Graph B illustrates an acute infection.
  • C: The exponential curve (A) is typical for pathogens that infect eukaryotic cells, while the stepped curve (B) is for prokaryotic cell infections.
  • D: Viruses evolve faster than bacteria, leading to a more irregular growth pattern.

Explanation

Bacteria, as independent organisms, replicate through binary fission, leading to continuous exponential growth Graph A . Viruses, being obligate intracellular parasites, undergo a latent period within host cells, replicating silently, followed by synchronous bursts of progeny virus release as infected cells lyse or bud, leading to the stepped pattern Graph B .