Which of the following microbes are among the most common causes of foodborne illness in the United States?

• A. Salmonella, Norovirus, Campylobacter, Escherichia coli O157:H7
• B. Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus anthracis, Clostridium tetani, Mycobacterium tuberculosis
• C. Lactobacillus acidophilus, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Streptococcus thermophilus, Rhizobium leguminosarum
• D. Vibrio cholerae, Plasmodium falciparum, Treponema pallidum, Neisseria gonorrhoeae

Answer: (A)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Step 1: Understand the context of the question, which asks for the most common causes of foodborne illness in the United States. Foodborne illnesses are infections or intoxications caused by consuming contaminated food or beverages.
2. Step 2: Identify the microbes listed in each group and classify them based on their known association with foodborne illness. For example, Salmonella, Norovirus, Campylobacter, and Escherichia coli O157:H7 are well-documented causes of foodborne outbreaks.
3. Step 3: Recognize that some microbes listed, such as Staphylococcus aureus, can cause food poisoning, but others like Bacillus anthracis (anthrax) and Clostridium tetani (tetanus) are not common foodborne pathogens.
4. Step 4: Exclude microbes that are not typically associated with foodborne illness, such as Lactobacillus acidophilus (a probiotic), Saccharomyces cerevisiae (yeast used in baking), and pathogens like Plasmodium falciparum (malaria parasite) or Neisseria gonorrhoeae (sexually transmitted infection).
5. Step 5: Conclude that the group containing Salmonella, Norovirus, Campylobacter, and Escherichia coli O157:H7 represents the most common causes of foodborne illness in the United States.