Which term describes non-disease producing bacteria that live on dead matter?

Which term describes non-disease producing bacteria that live on dead matter?

• A. Saprophytes
• B. Pathogenic bacteria
• C. Streptococci
• D. Cocci

Answer: (A)

Saprophytes are microorganisms that feed on dead organic matter, breaking it down for nutrients. This describes bacteria that live on dead tissue and are not disease-causing by definition. Pathogenic bacteria are the ones that cause disease, so they don’t fit. The terms Streptococci and Cocci refer to shape or bacterial arrangement (chains or spheres), not to their role in decomposing dead matter, so they don’t match the description either.

Saprophytes are microorganisms that feed on dead organic matter, breaking it down for nutrients. This describes bacteria that live on dead tissue and are not disease-causing by definition. Pathogenic bacteria are the ones that cause disease, so they don’t fit. The terms Streptococci and Cocci refer to shape or bacterial arrangement (chains or spheres), not to their role in decomposing dead matter, so they don’t match the description either.