HIV, Hepatitis B, and Hepatitis C are common types of diseases caused by a:

HIV, Hepatitis B, and Hepatitis C are common types of diseases caused by a:

• A. Microbe
• B. Cocci
• C. Bloodborne pathogen
• D. Flagella

Answer: (C)

These are best described as bloodborne pathogens—the category used for disease-causing organisms that are transmitted through blood and certain body fluids. HIV, hepatitis B, and hepatitis C are viruses that circulate in blood and can spread via blood exposure, so naming them as bloodborne pathogens highlights the route of transmission and the safety precautions needed to prevent exposure. Calling them simply microbes is true in a broad sense, but the question focuses on how they spread, not just what they are. The other options don’t fit because cocci refers to a bacterial shape, and flagella refers to a movement structure, neither of which describe how these diseases are transmitted.

These are best described as bloodborne pathogens—the category used for disease-causing organisms that are transmitted through blood and certain body fluids. HIV, hepatitis B, and hepatitis C are viruses that circulate in blood and can spread via blood exposure, so naming them as bloodborne pathogens highlights the route of transmission and the safety precautions needed to prevent exposure. Calling them simply microbes is true in a broad sense, but the question focuses on how they spread, not just what they are. The other options don’t fit because cocci refers to a bacterial shape, and flagella refers to a movement structure, neither of which describe how these diseases are transmitted.