Which of the following viruses is an enveloped, double-stranded DNA virus known to cause latent infections often reactivated during immunosuppression?

A sputum sample from a patient with suspected pulmonary tuberculosis is submitted for AFB smear and culture. The smear is reported as positive for acid-fast bacilli (4+). Which method is considered the gold standard for confirming the identification of Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex from culture?

A traveler returning from Southeast Asia presents with fever, headache, and a maculopapular rash that started on the trunk and spread to the extremities, including the palms and soles. Serological testing is positive for Orientia tsutsugamushi. The vector responsible for transmitting this organism is a:

A clinical microbiology laboratory is monitoring the emergence of antimicrobial resistance. The detection of a bacterial isolate with reduced susceptibility to multiple classes of antibiotics, often due to horizontal gene transfer of resistance determinants, is characteristic of:

A research laboratory is investigating the mechanisms of viral latency in herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-
1). During latency in sensory neurons, the viral genome exists as a circular episome. Whichof the following viral gene products is thought to play a crucial role in maintaining this latent state and preventing viral gene expression?