A patient develops an infection in his brain. The pathogen slowly spreads by forming endospores which disseminate through the cerebrospinal fluid. If the patient is examined later, which of the following spaces may be found to contain endospores:
I. The ventricles of the brain
II. The sympathetic chain ganglia
III. The spinal canal
A) I only
B) I and II only
C) I and III only
D) I, II, and III
Explanation
The cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) is only found in the central nervous system (CNS). (I) and (III) are CSF-filled spaces within the CNS and are thus likely to contain endospores that spread through the CSF. Thus, the answer is (C). (II) is incorrect because the sympathetic chain ganglia are a part of the peripheral nervous system (PNS) and the CSF does not circulate through the PNS.
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