Algonquin College Health Program Assessment (AC-HPAT) Practice Exam

Destruction of bacteria by a lytic agent is known as?

1. A bacteriophagia

2. Phagocytosis

3. Virulence

4. Antibiotic action

The correct answer is: A bacteriophagia

The term that specifically describes the destruction of bacteria by a lytic agent is bacteriophagia. This process occurs when bacteriophages, which are viruses that specifically infect bacteria, attach to bacterial cells and inject their genetic material. The viral DNA then takes over the bacterial machinery to replicate, ultimately causing the bacteria to lyse or break apart, resulting in the release of new bacteriophage particles. This phenomenon highlights the capability of bacteriophages to specifically target and destroy bacteria. In contrast, phagocytosis refers to a cellular process where certain cells, like macrophages, engulf and digest microorganisms and other particles, but it's more associated with immune system responses rather than the direct action of lytic agents. Virulence describes the degree of pathogenicity of an organism and does not relate specifically to the lytic process itself, while antibiotic action refers to the effects of antibiotics, which may kill or inhibit bacterial growth but is not synonymous with the specific lytic process enacted by bacteriophages.