Which of the following diseases did Koch identify the specific microbes for?

The identification of specific microbes responsible for certain diseases marked a significant advancement in medical science, particularly in the field of microbiology. Robert Koch is renowned for his role in identifying the causative agents of key infectious diseases.

Koch established the principles of the germ theory of disease and famously identified the bacteria responsible for both cholera and typhoid fever. He discovered Vibrio cholerae as the causative agent of cholera in 1883, and later identified Salmonella typhi, which causes typhoid fever. These discoveries not only advanced the understanding of these diseases but also paved the way for improved public health measures, including better sanitation and water supply.

In contrast, the other options listed involve diseases that were not identified by Koch in terms of their microbial causation. Syphilis, while linked to the spirochete bacterium Treponema pallidum, was studied by other scientists such as Paul Ehrlich. Influenza is caused by a virus, not a bacterium, and smallpox and measles are caused by variola virus and morbillivirus, respectively. Malaria is caused by protozoan parasites, particularly Plasmodium species, which had different contributors to their discovery. Therefore, the correct