Biology · Science General
Disease Causative Agents
2,258 Questions
Disease causative agents questions test your understanding of viral, bacterial, and fungal infections, along with their transmission methods. These are common topics in general science sections of SSC and railways exams. Practice these questions to accurately identify disease pathogens and symptoms.
Viral diseasesFoodborne illnessesDisease transmission methodsExtrinsic disease factorsCommon pathogens
Disease Causative Agents Questions
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Tuberculosis
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Cholera
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Typhoid
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Measles
D
Correct answer
Explanation
Measles is caused by the measles virus, making it a viral disease. Tuberculosis is caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis (bacteria), Cholera by Vibrio cholerae (bacteria), and Typhoid by Salmonella typhi (bacteria).
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Leprosy
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Diphtheria
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Tetanus
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Influenza
D
Correct answer
Explanation
Influenza (flu) is caused by the influenza virus, making it a viral disease, not bacterial. Leprosy is caused by Mycobacterium leprae, Diphtheria by Corynebacterium diphtheriae, and Tetanus by Clostridium tetani - all of these are bacterial diseases.
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Mumps
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Polio
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Dysentery
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Rabies
C
Correct answer
Explanation
Mumps, Polio, and Rabies are all caused by viruses. Mumps virus causes salivary gland inflammation, Poliovirus attacks the nervous system causing paralysis, and Rabies virus affects the brain. Dysentery is primarily caused by bacteria (Shigella) or protozoa (Entamoeba histolytica), not by viruses - it involves intestinal inflammation and bloody diarrhea.
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Bacteria
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Fungi
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Virus
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Plasmodium
C
Correct answer
Explanation
Hepatitis B is caused by the Hepatitis B virus (HBV), a hepatotropic DNA virus that infects liver cells and can cause acute or chronic liver disease, cirrhosis, or liver cancer. It is transmitted through blood or bodily fluids. Bacteria cause conditions like tuberculosis or cholera, fungi cause infections like candidiasis or aspergillosis, and Plasmodium causes malaria (a protozoan, not a virus or bacterium).
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Hepatitis A
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Hepatitis B
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Hepatitis C
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Hepatitis D
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Hepatitis E
B
Correct answer
Explanation
This option is correct because hepatitis B is an infectious illness of the liver caused by the hepatitis B virus.
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Only 1
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Only 2
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Only 3
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1 and 2
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2 and 3
A
Correct answer
Explanation
This option is correct because whooping cough is caused by Bordetella pertussis.
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Chicken pox
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Influenza
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Rubella
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Poliomycetes
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Rabies
A
Correct answer
Explanation
Chicken pox is caused by the varicella-zoster virus (DNA virus).
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P and Q
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P and R
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Q and R
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Q and S
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R and S
A
Correct answer
Explanation
Anthrax is an infectious disease caused by the gram-positive, spore-forming rod-shaped bacterium Bacillus anthracis.
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Gonorrhoea and Typhoid
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Cholera and Botulism
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Typhoid and Listeriosis
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Gonorrhoea and Cholera
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Botulism and Listeriosis
E
Correct answer
Explanation
This option is correct because both diseases are caused by gram-positive bacteria.
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Leishmaniasis
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Yellow fever
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Hepatitis B
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Q fever
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LRTI
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Only 1
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Only 2
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Only 3
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2 and 3
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1, 2 and 3
E
Correct answer
Explanation
This option is correct because rabies virus is a neurotropic virus that causes rabies in humans and animals. These viruses are enveloped and have a single-stranded RNA genome with negative-sense.
Match the columns:
| |
|
| Disease |
Causative agent |
| A. Botulism |
1. Protozoan |
| B. Yellow fever |
2. Bacteria |
| C. Candidiasis |
3. Fungus |
| D. Malaria |
4. Virus |
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A - 1, B - 2, C - 3, D - 4
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A - 1, B - 4, C - 2, D - 3
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A - 2, B - 4, C - 3, D - 1
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A - 2, B - 3, C - 4, D - 1
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A - 4, B - 1, C - 2, D - 3
C
Correct answer
Explanation
This option is correct because all are correctly matched.
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P and Q
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P and R
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Q and R
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Q and S
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R and S
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Pneumonia
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Malaria
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Dengue
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Ascariasis
A
Correct answer
Explanation
Pneumonia spreads through air. It is an inflammatory condition of the lung affecting primarily the microscopic air sacs known as alveoli.
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Virus
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Bacteria
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Host
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Vector
D
Correct answer
Explanation
Disease-causing organisms, i.e. causative agents are transferred from a diseased person to a healthy person by an organism which itself does not get the disease. Such an agent is called “vector”.