Which of the following is a common way that microorganisms can be spread from one host to another?

• A. By consuming sterile food
• B. Through direct contact with infected individuals
• C. Through inhalation of pure oxygen
• D. By exposure to ultraviolet light

Answer: (B)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Identify the modes of transmission for microorganisms, which include direct contact, indirect contact, droplet, airborne, vector-borne, and common vehicle transmission.
2. Evaluate each option given in the problem to see if it fits a known mode of transmission: consuming sterile food is unlikely to spread microorganisms because sterile means free of microbes.
3. Consider 'through direct contact with infected individuals' as a mode where microorganisms can be transferred by physical touch, which is a well-known and common transmission route.
4. Analyze 'through inhalation of pure oxygen' and 'by exposure to ultraviolet light'—neither of these typically serve as pathways for microbial transmission; oxygen is not a vector, and UV light is actually used to kill microorganisms.
5. Conclude that the most common and scientifically supported way microorganisms spread among the options is through direct contact with infected individuals.