Question

Besides being an intracellular parasite, this microorganism is also an "energy parasite" that doesn't produce its own high-energy phosphate compounds. It is?

A) Neisseria gonorrhoeae
B) Mycobacterium tuberculosis
C) Mycobacterium leprae
D) Chlamydia trachomatis
E) None of the above

Answer 1

The microorganism that is both an intracellular parasite and an "energy parasite" is Chlamydia trachomatis, a gram-negative bacterium causing sexually transmitted infections. The correct option is D.

Step-by-step explanation:

The microorganism you are referring to, which is an intracellular parasite and also known as an "energy parasite" due to its inability to produce its own high-energy phosphate compounds, is Chlamydia trachomatis.

Chlamydia trachomatis is a gram-negative bacterium and an obligate intracellular pathogen that relies on host cells for ATP, as it cannot synthesize its own. The life cycle of Chlamydia trachomatis includes a phase where it lives inside the host's cells, making it a significant cause of sexually transmitted infections such as chlamydia.

Therefore, the correct option is D.